13/04/2020   La Coruna (ESP): postponed, goodbye to ...






 

 

 

The insiders had been aware of this for about ten days, but the official newas arrived just yesterday with a series of notes to the main Galician newspapers (La Coruna).
 
"The municipal council of A Coruña has decided to cancel the IX Maratona Atlántica Coruña 42, scheduled for 4 October, as well as the postponement of the XXXIV Cantóns de A Coruña-Sergio Vázquez International Grand Prix, which was scheduled for next 30 May.
In addition, the managers of the municipal sports area, in agreement with the representatives of the Galician Federation of Athletics, have agreed to modify the date of the XIV Carreira Popular Coruña 10, scheduled for April 26, which will be held on October 4 this year. "
 
As regards the edition of the Cantones de La Coruna it is also expected that the same will take place by this 2020, even if the date has not yet been determined, since the current situation since the pandemic has forced to change the times of all competitions.
 
With this goal, the Organizers of Cantones will continue contacts with World Athletics and the other organizers of the Race Walking Challenge in order to reach a final decision which is all the more complicated by the fact that World Athletics has changed the terms for the entry standards of the Olympics in Tokyo, postponed to 2021, which will be valid from 1.12.2020
The sports councilor of the Municipality of La Coruna, Juan Ignacio Borrego Vázquez, explained in a press statement that contesting the "Cantones" before that date would make the competition itself much less attractive.
 
The test of La Coruna is the only one in the race walking field to be honored by World Athletics with the title of World Athletics Heritage.
The 2015 edition was memorable when Liu Hong (CHN) set the new world record for the 20km women's walk.
 
No less attractive was last year's edition when:
- at male level three athletes (Toshikazu Yamaninshi, JAP - Massimo Stano, ITA and Yusuke Suzuki, JAP) obtained a mark less than the wall which separates the world elite from the rest of the world (1:18:00)
- on a female level, the very young Glenda Morejion, ECU established the U20 world record on the distance taking the luxury of winning on the most titled athletes of China, Yuang Jiayu, Liu Hong and Qieyang Shenjie (the latter two, then would be gold and silver at the Doda World Championships 2019).