An afternoon dedicated to race walking today in Guadix (ESP) where the XXXIV edition of the Grand Priz City of Guadix was held, also valid as the XV Edition of the Manuel Alcalde Memorial.
Some words about this wonderful person who unfortunately died immaturely at the age of 48.
Born in Guadix on 31.12.1956 Manuel Alcalde Fornieles was a Spanish athlete dedicated in particular to the 50km in which he boasted a personal best of 3:39:13 established on 30.9.1988 at the Seoul Olympic Games (KOR). But his best finish in 50km Olympics he got with 9th place in Los Angeles on 11.8.2004 when he finished the race on that fiery day in 4:05:47. The following season he was also ninth at the Isle of Man World Cup in Britain.
Alcalde was the first major coach of Francisco "Paquillo" Fernandez.
The Guadix afternoon included events on the distance of 5km for the categories U16, U18, U20, U23 and senior both men and women and some tests on shorter distances for the very young U14 and U12.
5km walk men
The most interesting race of the day saw seven athletes at the start.
The favorite was undoubtedly Luis Alberto Amezcua (ESP) who boasted a personal best over the distance of 20:06 dating back to last year's edition and established on 8.12.2018. But the strong athlete of Spain also boasts an excellent 18:50.20 on track obtained in Gijon (ESP) on 25.7.2015.
At the head of the race from the first moments, Luis Alberto Amezcua had no difficulty winning in 19:41 and also establishing the new personal best on the distance.
Second place to Ivan Lopez Perez (ESP) in 20:08, also personal best for him (previous of 20:52 established in Guadix on 10.12.2017) and very close to personal best on the track (19: 59.49 established in Pamplona, ESP 27.7.2019)
Third place went to Manuel Bermudez Jimenez (ESP) in 21:26
In the U23 victory to José Manuel Perez Rubio (ESP) in 21:49
In the U20 victory to Pedro Conesa Ceron (ESP) in 22:13
In the U18 victory to Jose Luis Hidalgo Rodriguez (ESP) in 22:04
5km walk women
Two athletes at the start in the absolute category: Laura Garcia-Caro Lorenzo (ESP) and Edna Barros (POR).
Victory of Laura Garcia-Caro (ESP) in 22:37 a few seconds from the 22:28 personal best established in Toledo (ESP) on 18.11.2017. But remember that the athlete also boasts on track an excellent 21:49.09 established in Zaragoza on 13.6.2015.
Second place to Edda Barros (POR) in 22:47 new personal best (previous of 23:57 established in Algarve, POR on 22.1.2017), but with a personal best on the track distance of 22:05.53 always established in Algarve, POR on 26.5.2018.
In the U23 victory in Marina Pena Alonso (ESP) in 23:14
In the U20s victory at Ana Pulgarin Cardeno (ESP) in 24:08
In the U18s victory at Laura Vidal Lopez (ESP) in 26:17