When a few months ago the Chinese Athletic Association invited me to act as a walking judge at the international competition "Around Taihu" I thought: "Who knows what my last international race will be like?"
Yes, because the progress of the years brings with it not only the wealth of experience, but also the duty to leave to the new judges the opportunity to grow and to try their hand at what, for me at least, was "love at first sight. beautiful, lasted over 28 years".
But today I would like you to participate in what have been my feelings of this fifth experience in Taihu (six editions have been, unfortunately I missed the one of 2017 for the strangeness of the events of life that have prevented me, reluctantly, to be).
The format
In my opinion this format is to be repeated.
The athletes love it, the organizers are incredibly perfect in choosing the courses combining the reality of the specialty of race walking with the design to make known the beauty of Wuzhong, this beautiful area, full of lakes and canals that is south of Suzhou, paradise of gardens and silk.
Every year some news.
From the circuit in the village of Wangshan in 2013 to the Dongshan uphill that accompanied us from 2013 to 2017, in the 16km of Jinting (which saw the arrival of the last stage in 2014 and 2016, and finally in the Yuanboyuan circuit (2016 and 2017).
Racing on these routes brings to mind the historical race walk of the 1950s when our predecessors competed between Prague and Podebrady or at the end of the season between Airolo and Chiasso.
Today more than ever we also need this kind of format that leads us to make our champions known in the cities and among the common people.
The innovation of this edition was the race carried out in the new area of the Garden Expo of Taihu, a mixed road and park of great beauty.
Anchor is the inaugural 20km on the long lake of Huantaihu Avenue.
If the goal of the organizers was to make the area known to the world, the answer can only be: "chapeau".
The organization
Commendable, from every point of view.
Total traffic closures, perfect police and security checks.
I have repeatedly asked myself how many people have worked there, but I have not been able to give me an answer. I only point out that moving from one area to another the crush barriers, the huge penalty board, the gazebos, the refreshments tables was not a daily walk.
I would add that from the marketing point of view of the event in the city of Mudu, which seems to have organizational leadership, you could see from many parts of the wallboards that made you feel like part of a system.
Three years ago, at a dinner party, I had the opportunity to ask the Major of Mudu, if they were happy with the results obtained and how much they still wanted to continue with the promotion of Ariund Taihu.
The answer that the lady gave me, with a beautiful smile on her lips, was very simple: "很多, 我們 會 繼續" ("a lot, we will continue").
It is to these organizers that we will never tire of saying thank you, for the scenarios that have been proposed to us for six years now, and for the rich budget they continue to propose.
The athletes
Almost all the most important athletes of the last six years have competed in Taihu: a point of honor for the organizers.
But also anoither key point: that of sedimentation of friendships (those that last forever) between athletes of different nations.
This year the team that won the men's final standing (Latin Power) consisted of Caio Bonfin (BRA), Andrés Chocho (ECU), Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) and Lebogang Shange (RSA). Just the latter, a volcano of sympathy, he first wanted to share the awards on the podium with the Chinese majorettes, and then he performed, with his fellow adventurers, in a curtain to say the least unforgettable. They invited the chief judge of the third stage on the podium and, as if they were the coach of the football team that won a World Championship, they pick him up for the benefit of photographers and cameramen.
Who knows what the purists of the division of roles will think?
But the feeling of being part of everyone, but all of the same family, was visible in their smiles.
On the second day Eider Arevalo and Lebogang Shange paired at the top of the individual standings was another moment in which we understood the beauty of this format.
On the first day instead, that of 20km, the stop for 30" in the Penalty Area suffered by Eider Arevalo who then gave the victory in the hands of Lebogang Shange, was a moment of general surprise that also gave more interest to what would have been the next days.
A small personal anecdote.
In the second stage a dispirited Tom Bosworth approached me after the race (but always with a smile on his lips) and asked me, what I could advise him, from my point of view as a judge, for him to find a solution to his technical problems.
He had just received, for the second time in two days, a penalty of 90" (which meant 6 red cards in two days which for him represented as many disqualifications in traditional competitions).
I give him some small technical advice that should help him in the gestures of his walk.
The third day I see him out of the top positions and I say to myself: "what is he doing today?" I look better and I find him intent on trying to put my advice into practice. I smile to myself.
Tom approaches me in the post race.
"How did it go today?" I ask him.
"No penalty today, only one red card, thank-you that means a lot to me", he always answers me with a smile on his lips and shaking my hand in gratitude.
"You're right, he adds, we're all part of the same family".
I'm smiling, satisfied, now!
A suggestion
This year's edition was included in the IAAF Challenge.
Perhaps it would be desirable to become effective the penalties not to the second red card, but to the third (as happens in major team events).
Then leaving the increasing penalties that could be for example: 60" to the third red card and further 120" to the fourth red card.
This would give the same result as the current edition (180" for those who received four red cards), but with a distribution more in line with the rules to which the athletes are accustomed.
The fifth red card would trigger the disqualification.
Final considerations
Who did not come to Taihu at least once, please come in 2019.
It's worth it, believe me.
It is also a way of saying: "I belong to a large family".
As far as I am concerned, I can only say that I have received in human experiences and relationships, much more than I expected.
Thank you Chinese Athletic Association for making me five times part of this great family.
Nicola Maggio