The morning session of tomorrow 21 August 2021 will award the medals of the U20 World Championships for race walking.
At 9:15 local time the men will start and then at 12:20 it will be the women's event.
10,000m U20 men
The seasonal world ranking sees Khatri Amit (IND) in the lead with a brilliant 40:40.97 followed by Bryan Matias (GUA) with a season best of 41:04:38 and by Sohail Abderahmane Aloui (ALG) with a season best of 41: 23.34.
European athletes racing for a medal are the winner of the recent Tallinn championships last month, Paul McGrath (ESP) who improved to 42:32.19 and Dmitriy Gramachkov (ANA) bronze in Tallin in 42:39.25. Together with them there is also Emiliano Brigante (ITA) who boasts a season best of 41:48.25 who, if he does not make the strategic mistakes made in Tallin, he will also be able to compete for a medal.
If we had to blindly trust the results obtained on the road in Russia in Cheboksary in May, besides Dmitriy Gramachkov (39:47) it would not be at all strange (indeed it would be more than likely) that in the men's event all the aces for the victory would be in the hands of Maksim Pyanzin (38:48) and his teammate. It would not be at all strange to see them make a pair that is almost never seen with gold and silver.
Also worth considering is the other Iberian athlete Joe Luis Hidalgo (ESP) who scored 41:35 on the road this year.
Tokyo, however, taught us to see the forecasts distorted. Who knows if it won't happen again.
10,000m U20 women
A large group of 36 athletes will face a tough test in the thin air of Nairobi during the women's 10,000m walk.
The best season best was scored by Sofia Ramos Rodriguez (MEX) in 44:56.19
Behind her with season bests obtained on the road are the two authorized neutral athletes Anastasiya Kolchina (44:41) and Yelena Sborets (45:22) who lead the field on personal bests.
Other medal candidates are Eliska Martinkova (CZE) recent silver medalist at the recent European U20 Championships, Valeriya Sholomitska (UKR) who achieved a good 46:20.91 this year. French duo Maele Bire-Heslouis and Elvina Carre should also be in contention, with respective bests of 47:05 and 47:13 this year, along with Adriana Ornelas (POR) who stopped the clock in 47:01