05/03/2022   Muscat (OMA): second day - morning session.






 

 

 

The second day starts on time at 7:00.
 
Men and women leave together and it is really a good sight to see.
The temperature is now around 24 degrees, with the sky more cloudy and humidity higher than yesterday. We believe it will be a fairly difficult day for the walkers also in consideration of the course which, due to the undulation, is very muscular.
 
 
35km men
 
After two laps from the start of the race, Miroslav Uradnik (SVK) leads the group but the others are just a few meters away.
Meanwhile, as was to be expected, two home athletes have already been stopped in the penalty area (and then disqualified), and two others have a red card against them. Nothing is improvised in race walking was the jury rightly does not discount even the athletes of the organizing country.
 
 

 

 

After 40 minutes of racing Uradnik was joined by Alvaro Martin (ESP), Miguel Angel Lopez (ESP) and now the leading group includes, in addition to them, also Marc Tur (ESP), Perseus Karsltrom (SWE), Christpher Linke ( GER), Jose Luis Doctor (MEX), Ricardo Ortiz (MEX), Gao Yinchao (CHN), Lu Ning (CHN), He Xianhong (CHN), Masatora Kawano (JPN), Kazuki Takahashi (JPN) and Evan Dunfee (CAN ).
 
Some split times:
- 10km: 46:03 - Miroslav Uradnik (SVK)
- 15km: 1:08:47 (22:44) - Miroslav Uradnik (SVK)
 
The situation has not changed after an hour of competition, while in the leading group Perseus Karlstrom is proposed as leader, immediately punished by Uradnik.
Uradnik tries again after 1:20 of the race to gain a few meters. It should be noted that the temperature has now reached 28 degrees Celsius and the humidity is skyrocketing.
 
At 20km the group of leaders passes in 1:31:18 still led by Uradnik. The last 5km were covered in 22:31
At about 22km Aleksi Ojala (FIN) tries to gain a few meters and passes in 1:40:19
At 25km the situation is as follows Ojala 1:53:42 followed by Karlstrom (1:53:44), the trio from Spain, Lu Ning (CHN) and Masatora KawaNO (JPN). The last 5km were covered in 22:24.
 
Two hours into the race, Perseus Kalstrom and Alvaro Martin extend to 27km in 2:02:18, followed by Lu Ning (2:02:20) and the others, but the situation is very fluid.
At 30km the situation is the following: leaders are Perseus Karlstrom and Alvaro Martin (2:14:55), third is Lu Ning (2:15:08), followed by Miguel Angel Lopez and Masatora Kawano (2:15:21) and then Evan Dunfee (2:15:36). In the last 5km the speed has definitely increased having been covered in 21:13.
Race time 2:24:40: Perseus Karlstrom leaves Alvaro Martin's company and soon gains about twenty meters.
At the bell (2:27:55) his advantage is 18 seconds and immediately after smelling victory he puts on his head the historic headdress of the Swedish Vikings.
 
Victory to Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) in 2:36:14
Second place to Alvaro Martin (ESP) in 2:36:54
Third place went to Miguel Amngel Lopez (ESP) in 2:37:27
Fourth place in Masatora Kawano (JPN) in 2:37:36
Fifth place to Lu Ning (CHN) in 2:37:51
Sixth place to Karl Junghannss (GER) in 2:37:52
Seventh place to Evan Dunfee (CAN) in 2:37:53
Eighth place to Caio Bonfim (BRA) in 2:38:20
 
 
 
 

 

 

Team Standings:

1.- Spain points 16

2.- China points 29

3.- Germany points 48

4.- Japan points 57

6.- Italy points 81

7.- Brasil points 104

8.- India points 111

9.- United States of America points 140

 

 
35km women
 
The leading group is made up of about fifteen athletes and includes the three Chinese who are the undisputed favorites of the race: Wu Quanming, Li Maocuo and Na Guo.
After half an hour of the race it is Katarzyna Zdzieblo (POL) who proposes herself as the leader, but the best of her are about ten meters away.
The leading group reached Katarzyna Zdzieblo after 45 minutes of the race, but in the meantime she proposed as leader Priyanka (IND) who gained about thirty meters.
 
After an hour of competition, Priyanka is still in the lead, but Li Maocuo (CHN) has gained thirty meters, who is undoubtedly the main favorite for the victory and Katarzyna Zdzieblo comes out of the group and tries to join the Chinese.
Followed by Karla Jaramillo (ECU), Glenda Morejon (ECu) and Paolo Perez (ECU).
 
At 15km in the lead is Prfiyanka (IND) in 1: 12.58 (after passing to 10km in 47:26)
 
Shortly after 1:20 of the race Li Maocuo reached and detached Priyanka who is also joined by Katarzyna Zdzieblo who now seems to be the main opponent of the Chinese. Even if her distance is more than 50 meters. In fourth position is Glenda Morejon.
After 1:35 of the race we must report the abandonment of the Portuguese legend of women's walking. The one who fought so much for the 50km and of which she was the first world record for women: Ines Henriques (41 years old).
 
The transition to 20km: Li Maocuo in 1:37:00, Glenda Morejon and Katarzyna Zdzieblo in 1:37:36
Shortly thereafter Glenda Morejon caught up with and passed Katarzyna Zdzieblo who immediately lost ground. The fight for medals is getting really interesting and Glenda Morejon is one of the few athletes who in recent years can boast of having beaten the Chinese in the 20km.
The transition to 20km: Li Maocuo in 1:37:00.
At around 23km Glenda Morejon (1:51:33) almost reached Li Maocuo (1:51:26). Always third Katarzyna Zdzieblo while the fourth place is now of Laura Garcia-Caro (ESP) who overtook the other two athletes from Ecuador (Jaramillo and Perez).
After 1:56:42 Glenda Morejon reaches and overtakes Li Maocuo who, however, resists, but is detached again after 26km.
Morejon's advantage over Maocuo at 27km is 12 seconds.
 
At 30km: Glenda Morejon (2:24:35), Li Maocuo (2:25:09), Katarzyna Zdzieblo (: 2: 28: 08), Laura Garcia-Caro (2:26:56). Followed by Paola Perez (2:28:38) and Karla Jaramillo (2:28:52)
 
 

 
 
Victory to Glenda Morejon (ECU in 2:48:33

Second place to Li Maocuo (CHN) in 2:50:26

Third place to Katarzyna Zdzieblo (POL) in 2:51:48

Fourth place to Laura Garcia-Caro (ESP) in 2:52:10

Fifth place to Paola Perez (ECU) in 2:53:58

Sixth place to Magaly Bonilla (ECU) in 2:54:39

Seventh place to Karla Jaramillo (ECU) in 2:56:14

Eight place to Olga Niedzialek (POL) in 2:57:50

 

 

Team Standings:

1.- Ecuador points 12 - Incredible victory with five athletes (full team present in Muscat) in the top ten. Congratulations !

2.- Spain points 28

3.- China points 29

4.- Italy points 44

5.- Brasil points 80

 

 

 


 

The other four members of the Ecuador 35km team

 

 

 

(Photos by Maurizio Damilano - ITA)

 

 

Risultati ufficiali - Official results

 

 

 

Photo album by Maurizio e Sandro Damilano