Race walk is a tough sport, sometimes not iunderstood, sometimes remembered only for the medals it brings to the Countries, but it is a sport that has always cemented deep friendships even among acerious opponents.
After the race often ended in a cheerful evening in which athletes, coaches and judges were together to celebrate the winner, in front of one or more pints of beer, and to confront, perhaps even in a gruff manner but with no hard feelings.
In short, a small ancient world of a family that discusses the future of their children, but still a family.
The color of the shirts of the respective national teams was forgotten. Friendship was born and grew, the real one, the one with the capital A, the one that surpassed the rivalry a few hours before, forgot shortly after cutting the finish line.
The writer remembers two of these evenings: one in Royal Leamington (GBR) on the evening of Easter Sunday of 2000 in a discotheque transformed as an enchantment around the opening of a bottle of whiskey (won by an athlete and offered to a judge) which opened and was drawn from over twenty people by athletes, coaches and judges. It was a real party.
And how can we not remember that a few years before (1998) in Dudince, where in a tavern (then all of them baptized Taverna Popular) supported by the strong rate lira/Czech crown then offered beer free to local people as well.
Who knows when we'll be back.
Friendships were born and some people saw the birth of the loves that, as we are told, have lead on lucky weddings.
The memory of these past times seems to be blurred, but the smiles of the five men of today's cover photo tell us the opposite: having all been part of a season of successes, among which the most important thing was to cement a friendship that has overcome the rivalry of the race.
And in Gleina (GER) last Saturday at the 50km Germany Championships, these five former youths have been met. We only recall that they carry with them eight Olympic medals: Hans-Georg Reimann, Hartwig Gauder, Dieter Lindner, Peter Frenkel and Christoph Hohne.
Five legendary names of the years between the seventies and eighties.
Let us just remember something about the blue one, the tallest of all: Hartwig Gauder.
He begins to win important medals at the Moscow Olympic Games 1980 (gold) and finishes at the 1990 European Championships in Split (bronze).
But it has become famous for another story.
In 1996 he began to suffer from a serious virus infection at heart, and his life is in danger. After having lived for several months with an artificial heart, he received a heart transplant and begins hir "Second Chance called also my life with the third heart" (Die zweite Chanche ... Mein Leben mit del dritten Herzen" told in an engrossing book.
And about the professional photographer, Peter Frenkel, we appreciate the pictures he has posted on social networks that are delightful.
Thanks to all of you legends of German race walk.