Gifu, a city located just north of Nagoya in the hundred-south part of Japan, is hosting these days the U20 Asian Championships.
10,000m U20 women's track walk
Seven athletes at the start.
They are immediately in the lead in three: Ma Li (CHN), Nanako Fujii (JPN) and Li Wenxiu (CHN).
All three athletes had done very well in Ticang (CHN) with the following results:
- Nanako Fujii (JPN): 45:29 (3rd)
- Li Wenxiu (CHN): 45:51 (4th)
- Ma Li (CHN): 46:49 (6th)
Passes the lead in the first 1,000m Ma Li in 4:35, and continues to lead the race even at 2,000m in 9:05 (seconds 1,000m in 4:30)
It is therefore the turn of the teammate Li Wenxiu (CHN) who passes the lead at 3,000m in 13:44 (third 1,000m in 4:39)
Back in the lead at 4.000m Ma Li who evidently wants to give this time his mark to the race.
Her passage at 4,000m is 18:14 (fourth 1,000m in 4:30)
Ma Li slightly increases the pace and passes in the lead mid-race in 22:43 (fifths 1,000m in 4:29) always followed by Fujii Nanako (JPN), while teammate Li Wenxiu (CHN) seems to have lost her edge.
The following split times are:
- 6,000m: leading Ma Li in 27:15 (sixth 1,000m in 4:32)
- 7,000m: leading Nanako Fujii in 31:54 (seventh 1,000m in 4:39)
- 8.000m: always in the lead the Japanese passing in 36:35 (eighths 1,000m in 4:41)
Ma Li notices this decline in pace and forces her pace with a 1,000m of 4:28 which passing to 9,000m in 41:03.
Nanako Fujii (JPN) loses a few meters, but resists.
Ma Li forces again the pace in the last 1,000m and goes to win in 45:20.49 (4:17.59), new personal best even if the athlete boasts a 44:15 on road obtained the Huangshan (CHN) on Mar. 3, 2018.
Second place to Nanako Fujii (JPN) in 45:24.35, new personal best (previous 47:46.97 obtained in Nagasaki, JPN on Dec. 11, 2016) which also improves the recent road result on Taicang of 45:29
Third place to Li Wenxiu (CHN) in 47:38.46
Ma Li and Nakako Fujii with these two performances climb to the top of the U20 of 2018 world list on the 10,000m track walk up to now headed by Katie Hayward (AUS) in 45:48.45.
All athletes complete the race
10,000m U20 men's track walk
Eight athletes at the start. Also in this race a battle for gold between China and Japan is awaited and the athlete from Korea is a possible third party.
These three athletes should share the medals.
The race, however, takes a different format than the female one. The three favorites (Gong Hao, CHN - Sho Sakazaki, JPN - Kim Mingyu, KOR) walk together for almost the entire race.
These are the split times every 1,000m.
- 1.000m: 4:39 (leads the race Sho Sakazaki, JPN)
- 2.000m: 9:18 (4:39) and always Sakazaki leader
- 3.000m: Kim Mingyu (KOR) forces the pace and passes to lead in 13:44 (4:26)
The three are together despite their technical situation is getting heavier (the end will see all three athletes with two red cards against them) and always the leader is Kim Mingyu (KOR).
- 4.000m: 18.00 (4:16)
- 5.000m: 22:18 (4:18)
- 6,000m: 26:24 (4:06)
- 7,000m: 30:35 (4:11)
- 8,000m: 34:52 (4:17)
At 1.000m to go Gong Hao (CHN), definitely forces the pace and took the lead passing at 9.000m in 39:01 (4:09 this fraction of 1.000m). He gives Kim Mingyu and Sho Sakazaki a few meters.
Victory to Gong Hao (CHN) in 42:47.98 (last 1,000m in 3:46.98).
With this result the young athlete of China shatters his personal best on the track distance (previous of 49:50.21 obtained in Bangkok, THA on May 22, 2017) even if on the road distance he has a 42:43 obtained in Huangshan (CHN) on March 4, 2017.
Second place to Sho Sakazaki (JAP) in 42:53.56
Third place to Kim Mingyu (KOR) in 43:06.89
Six athletes end the race of which one (China Taipei) after a one-minute stop in the Penalty Area.
Another Indian athlete who suffered the same penalty decided instead to abandon the race.
Finally, a third athlete from India is DQed for having received four red cards.
It really seems that the penalty system is working perfectly and giving its effects.