A story of 30 years ago.
It was the second day of the second edition of the World Athletics Championships in Rome.
A beautiful hot evening in Rome on the avenues around the Olympic Stadium infused in the hearts of Italian fans the hope of a big deal.
While the walkers fought on the long Tiber, a certain Ben Johnson defeated King Carl Lewis in the 100m final. 9.83 for the first and 9.93 for the second; Ephemeral victory, as after Seoul on its own admission this result was canceled.
It was a race, that of 20km men, with more than one favorite.
Two were Mexicans, Ernesto Canto and Carlos Mercenario, two were from the USSR, Frants Kostyukevich and Victor Motovick, one from then Czechoslovakia, Jozef Pribilinec, one from Spain, José Marin and then there was Maurizio Damilano pointing to win at home.
The international jury that afternoon was particularly severe.
Out of the context of the controversial race were five, including two Mexicans, Dave Smith (AUS), Axel Noack (GDR), and Walter Arena (ITA).
Frants Kostyukevich (USSR) and Hector Moreno (COL) abandoned.
Thus, between 14km and 15km, Maurizio Damilano launched his attack, which according to his brother and coach Sandro, was to be the decisive one.
Five, ten meters separating him from Jozef Pribilinec, and so many separated Pribilinec from José Marin.
He approaches the Olympic Stadium and between two crowd's wings that stir up the ball, he realizes that the advantage has increased; Now we are in the order of twenty seconds.
Enter on the track and walk in the eighth lane between a crowd into delirium and win in the 1:20:45 new record of the Championships.
Second place to Jozef Pribilinec (TCH) in 1:21:07
Third to José Marin (ESP) in 1:21.24
Fourth to Viktor Mostovik (URS) in 1:21:53
Fifth to Carlo Mattioli (ITA) in 1:22:53
Sixth to Roman Mrazek (TCH) in 1:23:01
Seventh to Jean-Claude Corre (FRA) in 1:23:38
Eighth to Querubin Moreno (COL) in 1:23:42
On September 1, the late roman afternoon was even more hot for the 10km of women.
Victory to Irina Strakhova (URS) in 44:12
Second place to Karry Saxby-Junna (AUS) in 44:23
Third place to Hang Yan (CHN) in 44:42
On September 5th in the hot and humid morning it took 50km
Victory to Hartwig Gauder (GDR) in 3:40:53
Second place to Ronald Weigel (GDR) in 3:41:30
Third place to Vyacheslav Ivanenko (URS) in 3:44:02