The first day of the U20 European Championships opens in Grosseto (ITA) with the first of two races: the 10,000m race on women's track that starts at 9:00.
10,000m U20 women track walk
It is always difficult to make a forecast in the U20 races, and even more difficult when athletes split their annual performance between track and road distance.
If we take the results of 2017 on the road, the candidates for the victory are three:
- Teresa Zurek (GER) capable this season of 45:53 at Podebrady (CZE) on April 8, 2017
- Yana Smerdova (ANA) capable this season of 46:39 at Podebrady (CZE) on May 21, 2017
- Meryem Bekmez (TUR) capable this season of 46:48 at Podebrady (CZE) on May 21, 2017
The values of race on the track speak a totally different language: the French one of Camille Aurriere and Eloise Terrec.
The logic tells us that if Meryem Bekmez (TUR) has disposed of the return journey from Nairobi (KEN) where she won the U18 world silver, we will attend a revival of Podebrady's European Cup and maybe we can gamble on a "tris" for the same end result.
The race
The first two kilometers tell us at once that it will not be like in the Europa Cup at Podebrady in May, but almost.
The difference is made by Meryem Bekmez (TUR) who evidently did not endure fatigue, and which collects two red cards in the first two kilometers. She is obliged to slow down and be careful on the walking technique, which instead will not do with her teammate Ayse Tekdal (TUR) and will be after disqualified.
In any case, at the top 3km, the independent of Russia Yana Smerdova (ANA) leads with the following split times:
- 1.000m in 4:46.73
- 2.000m in 9:25.79
- 3.000m in 13:48.80
Which then alternates to lead with the other favorite: Teresa Zurek (GER)
The pace are certainly not impossible, and Russian and German pass in this order to the next 1,000m.:
- 4.000m: Zurek (GER) in 19:06.24
- 5.000m: Smerdova (ANA) in 23:48.32
- 6.000m: Zurek (GER) in 28:30.50
- 7.000m: Zurek (GER) in 33:19.49
- 7.000m: Zurek (GER) in 38:04.93
Between 6th and 7th km the disqualification of Ayse Tekdal (TUR)
The two leaders continue with Teresa Zurek (GER) who heads at 8,000m in 38:04.93, while Yana Smerdova heads to 9.000m in 42:49.38 and takes off as much as his rival
Victory to Yana Smerdova (ANA) in 47:19.69.
Second place to Teresa Zurek (GER) in 47:33.20
For bronze, Marina Pena (ESP) tries to come back and fight whit a tired Maryem Bekmez (TUR).
The Turkish do it then to maintain, with a sprint in any case acceptable, the third place which earned her the sweet haul of two medals (silver and bronze) in two World and European (Championships) in less than a week.
Bronze then to Maryem Bekmez (TUR) in 48:33.88 (Turkey's U20 national record)
Fourth place for Marina Pena (ESP) in 48:34.21 (personal best).
The Spanish walk also celebrates fifth place of Irene Montejo (ESP) in 49:02.62 and seventh of Antia Chamosa (ESP) in 49:08.52 (both personal bests).
From the technical point of view, the judges sent 20 red cards of which 6 for bent knee and 14 for loss of contact with the ground.
The Italians
Great ninth place for the new entry Valeria Disabato (ITA) ending the race in 49:26.81 new personal best (previous 50:35.99 obtained in Trieste at Italian Senior Championships on June 30, 2017).
Instead, she can not improve the personal best (50:31:23) established in Florence on June 9, 2017, Annalisa Russo (ITA) ending the race at 50:30.96.
Even more distant from the personal best (50:43.24) established in Orvieto on April 23, 2017, Anthea Mirabello (ITA), who, although charged with two red cards, managed to complete the race in 51:12.89. We remeber that the young Mirabello is engaged in a delicate work of technical nature with the help of Patrizio Parcesepe.
Yana Smerdova celebra la vittoria
The exultation of Maryem Bekmez (TUR) for the second medal in five days