The first day of the Italian Indoor Championships in Ancona reserves, as usual, the two walk events.
3.000m. indoor walk women
It is already clear, but it will be better understood in men, how much these championships have been snubbed.
There were eleven athletes in entry list, and they presented themselves at the start in seven.
Really embarrassing!
The race says little or nothing in addition to the excellent result of Antonella Palmisano (ITA), which starts in the head and after a lap shakes even the opponent who had tried to stay with her at least for a lap: Eleonora Dominici (ITA).
Nicole Colombi (ITA) follows back
The split times of Antonella Palmisano are as follows:
- 1.000m in 4:12.6
- 2.000m in 8:23.0 (seconds 1000m in 4:10.4)
last 1.000m in 4:10.15
Victory to Antonella Palmisano (ITA) in 12:23.15 second season world performance behind the 12:13.31 of Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene (LTU) obtained two days ago on Feb. 14, 2019 at Siauliai (LTU)
Second place to Eleonora Dominici (ITA) in 12:44.12 fifth seasonal world performance.
Third place to Nicole Colombi (ITA) in 13:24.01.
5.000m indoor walk men
All five athletes are at the start and today with these numbers is already a victory.
We will not be able to complain in the future if maybe someone was going through the head to cancel race walking from the athletics program altogether.
We are doing karakiri alone !
The pace is set by Massimo Stano (ITA) followed by Francesco Fortunato (ITA).
Behind them Flavio Vona (ITA) and Andrea Agrusti (ITA), while Ettore Grillo (ITA) is off.
The four athlete in front of the race continue for nine of the 25 laps.
The split times of Massimo Stano who lead the race are:
- 1.000m in 3:53.5
- 2.000m in 7:45.1 (3:51.6)
When there are 12 laps to the end Stano forces the pace and gains about six meters on Fortunato, but Francesco in two laps he recovers the lost ground and at 3.000m he catch Stano and immediately goes to lead the race.
They pass to 3.000m in 11:29.1 (3:44.0)
At this point the race gets really interesting and makes us forget that at the start there were only five!
Flavio Vona (ITA) is disqualified.
Francesco Fortunato forces the pace when 10 laps are missing, but Massimo Stano does not give in and heels him.
We are already looking forward to a thrilling final between the two main actors of the Parcesepe Team, when the show is subjected to an abrupt end: Massimo Stano is disqualified by the jury.
At this point the race has nothing more to say.
Francesco Fortunato passes to 4.000m in 15:11.6 (3:42.5) and closes the last 1.000m in 3:36.03.
Vicotory to Francesco Fortunato (ITA) in 18:47.63 new personal best (previous of 18:55.26 established in Ancona, ITA on Feb. 17, 2018 when last year he won the italian title.
But what is most important today is that this performance is, as for that of Antonella Palmisano, the second seasonal world performance behind Vasiliy Mizino (RUS) that in Chelyabinsk, RUS on Jan. 6, 2019 had been able to get a very good 18 28.5 manual.
Second place to Andrea Agrusti (ITA) in 19:36.34 new personal best (previous of 20:15.12 established in Ancona, ITA on Feb. 4, 2017)
Third place to Ettore Grillo (ITA) in 21:03.91