Friday 23 August and Saturday 24 August Minsk hosted a working visit by the IAAF commission. On the agenda were the preparations for the race of the World Race Walk Team Championship that the Belarusian capital will host in 2020.
On this occasion, the Belarusian championships of the 20 km men's and women's category and the 10 km junior men's and women's U20 took place on Saturday morning in Minsk.
The race took place on the course that will host next year's IAAF World Race Walk Team Championship.
A large course and, in light of the good results obtained, certainly flowing and which will allow excellent results on the world occasion.
20km men
The men's race was dominated by Salih Korkmaz (TUR), the recent silver medalist at the U23 European Championships in Gavle (SWE) which thus achieved the qualification standard for Doha and Tokyo.
This was the goal of the Turkish delegation, given that the competition was judged according to IAAF standards with the presence of three judges from the European area, a goal that it fully achieved.
Unequivocal victory (leading the race from 4km) with the new personal best of 1:20:35 (40:22 at half race) which improves the previous 1:21:32 obtained precisely in Gavle (SWE) on 14.7.2019. Obviously this performance is also Turkey's new national record.
Second place for Sahin Senoduncu (TUR) in 1:23:30 also for him new personal best (previous 1:23:40 obtained in Naples (ITA) on 12.7.2019 during the World University Games where he is ranked fourth place.
Third place for the first of the representatives of the home team, Alexander Lyakhovic (BLR) in 1.23:52.
Thirteen athletes at the start of which 11 have completed the race and 2 DQ
20km women
The women's race saw the domination of the home representative, Victoryia Rashchupkina (BLR) who also obtained the entry standard for participation in the Doha World Championships with the mark of 1:30:15 being passed at half race in 44:54.
Obviously this is the new personal best of the athlete (previous of 1:31:22 obtained in Taicang, CHN on 5.5.2018)
Second place to Anastasiya Rarovskaya (BLR) in 1:33.19, also for her new personal best (previous of 1:33:33 obtained in Brest, BLR on 27.4.2019)
Third place to Galina Yakusheva-Kichigina (KAZ) in 1:38:52
The race was missing the best Belarussian athletes working in Bulgaria for a training internship in preparation of the Doha World Championships.