Double Italian success at the European Championships in Birmingham in the race walking marathon. The gold medal in the men’s race was won by Massimo Stano, who delivered a performance of great energy management. The Italian completed the 42.195 kilometers in 2h56’49”, setting a new European record and the best seasonal world performance.
The 34-year-old from Puglia stayed for a long time in the leading group together with his compatriot Riccardo Orsoni, who finished fifth. After the 30th kilometer, Stano progressively increased the pace. At the 35th, he caught up with the Hungarian Bence Venyercsan, who was then stopped for a third warning, before launching the decisive attack. Behind him finished the Spaniard Miguel Angel Lopez, silver, and the Frenchman Aurelien Quinion, bronze.
Also extraordinary was the performance of Sofia Fiorini, the dominant figure in the women’s race. The 21-year-old from Tuscany crossed the finish line in 3h15’11”, setting a new world record for the distance. The Italian finished more than four minutes ahead of the Polish Katarzyna Zdzieblo, second in 3h19’50”, while the bronze went to the Spaniard Raquel Gonzalez.
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In her first participation in a European Championship, Fiorini built her success with a race always in the top positions, then accelerating after the 30th kilometer and distancing all her rivals. With this result, she becomes the third Italian female race walker in history to win a European gold, after Annarita Sidoti and Antonella Palmisano.
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