The World Race Walking Tour program continues this time in Spain.
The city of Lepe in the province of Huelva hosted the 35km Spanish Championship this morning.
The race took place on the Isla Cristina avenue in the tourist area of La Antilla, very close to the sea, on a 1km circuit of impeccable workmanship, with great organization and on a cloudy day at the beginning sunny later, but not hot , pretty cool.
35km men
It was an exciting race especially for what we saw in the last half hour of the race.
There were essentially two contenders for victory: Alvaro Martin and Miguel Angel Lopez while Ivan Pajuelo and Manuel Bermudez stood as outsiders.
But the goal was to break the Spanish record held by Valentin Massana with a time of 2:30:33 and established in Eschborn (GER) on 12.6.1993.
Side by side, Martín and López overcame the 5km in 21:37, the 10km in 43:04 and the 15km in 1:04:28. They reached 20kn in 1:25:44, always walking together in parallel, and also 25km in 1:47:00, at a record pace for Spain. But at km 27, Extremadura's Álvaro Martín unleashed hostilities, gave a tug and stood out from his team-mate, gaining a small advantage.
After the two hours of competition, the most beautiful and definitive action of the race.
Miguel Angel Lopez who for a few kilometers was stationed about ten meters behind Alvaro Martin, reaches the leader of the race in the space of about twenty seconds and immediately leaves him in place.
At that point there are six laps to go until the end of the race. Martin tries, but in one lap the advantage of Miguel Angel Lopez reaches and exceeds 100m.
Lopez ovetake 30km in 2:07:36.
Lopez’s pace leaves no doubt: this was the action that determined the victory of title of Spanish Champion.
The third place on the podium is still contested by Ivan Pajuelo (who is burdened by two red cards for loss of contact) and Manuel Bermudez. When there are about two laps to the end of the race Bermudez overtakes Pajuelo and flies towards the bronze
Victory to Miguel Angel Lopez (ESP) in 2:27:53 new national record of Spain, but above all with this performance Lopez goes to the top of the seasonal world list by breaking the time of Xe Xianghong (CHN) of 2:31:05 obtained in Nanjing (CHN) on 22.1.2022.
National road champion for the seventh time in his sporting career, four over 20 km, one over 50 km and two over 35 km.
We will see tomorrow in Sochi (RUS) what the athletes of that country will reserve for us.
Second place to Alvaro Martin (ESP) in 2:29:59 also below Massana's previous record
Third place went to Manuel Bermudez (ESP) in 2:32:06
Finally, for fourth place Alvaro Lopez Nunez (2:32:44) overtakes Ivan Pajuelo (2:33:26).
It was the day of coach José Antonio Carrillo who monopolized the entire men's podium.
Congratulations dear friend!
Below the first ten male athletes of the updated world list
35km women
Also in this race an excellent result.
Authentic show by Maria Perez, who distinguished herself from her opponents from the first kilometer, with passes of 47:15 at 10km (almost 2 minutes below her pace of a year ago) and 1:33:06 at 20km (more than 3 minutes below). María Pérez's solo narrative was absolutely majestic, with that decision and courage that always characterize her, with that characteristic and imperturbable style of her. She overcomes the 25 km in 1:55:17 and the 30 km in 2:17:20, the best Spanish record over this distance, surpassing the 2:21:36 set last year in Seville.
Maria Perez (ESP) finally reaches the finish line in 2:39:16 after having lapped all the other competitors.
Also for her a new national record of Spain which improves her previous record of 2:44:17 obtained in Sevilla (ESP) on 14.2.2021.
And also for her the best seasonal world performance breaking the time of Wu Quanming (CHN) of 2:43:25 obtained in Nanjing (CHN) on 22.1.2022.
And finally also the best provisional European performance to date.
Second place to the home star, Laura Garcia-Caro (ESP) finishing in 2:48:05
Third place to Maria Juarez (ESP) 2:53:40
Below the first ten female athletes of the updated world list