European U23 champion Alexandrina Mihai leads the entries for the inaugural Italian Half Marathon Race Walking Championships in Alessandria on Sunday (8).
The recently approved distance will make its major championships debut at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships, to be held from 10–16 August. The marathon and half marathon race walks will take place on Saturday 15 August on the streets of the British city.
Mihai won gold over 10,000m at the Bergen 2025 European Athletics U23 Championships, improving on the silver medal she took two years earlier over 20km at Espoo 2023.
Disabato steps up to seniors against strong field
In the men’s race, the highly promising 19-year-old Giuseppe Disabato steps up to the senior ranks to take on well-seasoned opposition. Twice a European U20 medallist over 10,000m, he won silver at Tampere 2025 and bronze in Jerusalem 2023.
He also claimed bronze over 10,000m at the Lima 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships and went on to win the men’s U20 10km race at the 2025 European Race Walking Team Championships in Poděbrady, setting a championship record.
He will line up alongside Riccardo Orsoni, who finished eighth in the men’s 35km race at the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships; Gianluca Picchiottino, who was 12th at the 2024 World Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya; and Andrea Cosi, gold medallist at last year’s World University Games.
As well as national glory, athletes will also have a close eye on the clock and the qualifying times for Birmingham 2026. The respective standards are 1:26:15 for men and 1:36:20 for women.
