Saturday will be the third edition of the U23 Mediterranean Championships.
We remember that the previous editions were held in Aubane (FRA) and Tunis (TUN).
10,000m men's track walk
If we refer to the time of accreditation we should have no doubt about the favorite on the eve: the time of 39:38.27 obtained on Apr. 22, 2018 in Livorno (ITA), should guarantee Gianluca Picchiottino (ITA) a good margin for a win.
At the moment Picchiottino is the second athlete in the world list on distance, and taking into account the age is the first of the U23.
The fight for the other two podium positions will be more complicated.
The second accreditation time (40:34.56) belongs to another athlete from the host nation, Stefano Chiesa (ITA), fresh from the personal best obtained last weekend at Agropoli (ITA).
But he will have to see it in particular with Gabriel Bordier (FRA) who, on the last week-end in La Coruna (ESP), did a very good race, also technically high level, finishing 12th in 1:22:15 (with a split time to 10km in 41:04.
The other two candidates for the podium are in our opinion.
- Manuel Bermudez (ESP): the Spanish, already known to the Italian public for his second place in the U20 race of Roma 2016 in 40:27, boasts on the track distance a personal best of 41:23.03 established in Cartagena (ESP) the May 6, 2017, but expresses himself very well in the international events. We remember him 5th last year (Jul. 16, 2017) at the European U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz.
- Georgios Tzatzimakis (GRE): the young greek (1999) won the U20 race this year at the Podebrady (CZE) meeting, recording a very good 41:45
10,000m women's track walk
In the women's competition in our opinion the victory should be a deal between three athletes.
- Lidia Sanchez-Puebla (ESP): a beautiful athlete, which among other things is presented with the best personal best (although obtained on the road: 45.05), and that last Saturday in La Coruna (ESP) has made a beautiful race, also technically high level, finishing 6th in 1:31.21 (with a split time to 10km in 45:11); for us she is the favorite for gold.
- Edna Barros (POR): the athlete coached by Paulo Murta, coach of Ana Cabecinha, is constantly growing. Last Jan. 7, 2018 had established in Faro (POR) the personal best in 46:35.10, and on Mar. 17, 2018 in Montemor-o-Novo (POR) fell for the first time under 46:00.00 stopping the stopwatch on his current personal best of 45:55.58;
- Chahinez Nasri (TUN): the Tunisian athlete who often trains and competes in France boasts a personal best on the track of 45:14.91 established in Toulouse (FRA) on Dec. 3, 2017 and is the African records holder on 5.000m track walk and 10km road walk.
The main outsider should be Eleonora Dominici (ITA).
The strongest of the Italians, however, comes from a recent minor injury that has not allowed her to compete at the Italian U23 Championships in Agropoli (ITA). She boasts a personal best of 46:14.91 (established at Eskilstuna, SWE on Jul. 16, 2015).
Previous editions
| Year | Venue | Men | Result | Women | Result |
| | | | | | |
| 2014 | Aubane (FRA) | Alvaro MARTIN (ESP) | 42:50.87 | Federica CURIAZZI (ITA) | 46:33.33 |
| 2016 | Tunis (TUN) | Francesco FORTUNATO (ITA) | 39:46.25 | Laura GARCIA-CARO (ESP) | 44:55.51 |