Francesco Fortunato strode away from a field including home favourite and world champion Caio Bonfim to become the inaugural half marathon winner at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Brasilia on Sunday (12).
Fortunato unleashed a final kilometre of 3:42 - the fastest of the race - to break the resistance of home favourite Bonfim as well as Ethiopia’s Misgana Wakuma.
In his very first attempt at the new distance which will be part of a major championships programme for the first time at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham from 10-16 August, Fortunato clocked 1:27:25 in increasingly hot and humid conditions in the Brazilian capital.
Fortunato opened up a winning gap of eight seconds on Waguma who overhauled an exhausted Bonfim who collapsed prostrate on the ground for the silver medal - 1:27:33 to 1:27:36 - for the biggest victory of his career so far.
"I felt very well from the beginning, but I received two red cards early on in the race. I tried to stay calm and relaxed. As we approached the final lap, I told myself I needed to push very fast. I am a speed boy. I broke the world record for 5000m. Beating Caio (Bonfim) at home, I cannot ask for more," said Fortunato who will begin to turn his attention to the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
"I had two goals this season: this event and the European Championships. I want to confirm my bronze medal [in the 20km race walk in Rome] from two years ago. I will continue to work hard to be ready for the next races," he added.
Led by Diego Garcia Carrera who finished ninth individually in 1:28:55, Spain won silver in the team race behind Japan with China taking the bronze.
Team gold for Ukraine in women’s half marathon
In the women’s half marathon which was won by Peru’s 2022 world champion Kimberley Garcia Leon in 1:35:00, 19-year-old Spaniard Aldara Meilan moved steadily through the field to win individual bronze in 1:35:38.
"I was in great shape coming into this meet. I was aiming for a top eight finish, but never thought of a medal. This is a great surprise. I was keeping an eye on my fellow Spanish athletes and trusting our individual performances contributed to the team medal," she said.
Meilan also led a somewhat depleted Spanish team which was missing reigning double world champion Maria Perez to team silver behind an experienced Ukrainian team whose three counters all finished inside the top-10.
Their team was led by Hanna Shevchuk who finished seventh in 1:37:54, one place ahead of European Race Walking Team Championships winner Lyudmila Olyanovska in eighth (1:37:54) with Mariia Sakharuk sealing the team title for Ukraine in tenth (1:38:15).
Italy’s Sofia Fiorini won individual silver in the inaugural marathon race walk in a 3:25:42 PB behind Ecuador’s Paula Torres who won in 3:24:47, leading her country to the team title by just one point - 12 points to 13 points - ahead of Italy.
However, the Italian team’s chances suffered an irreparable dent after Eleonora Giorgi had to spend a four-minute stint in the penalty zone after picking up her third red card. She eventually finished seventh in 3:35:46.
On his comeback from injury, world 35km race walk record-holder Massimo Stano finished fifth in the men’s marathon race walk in 3:07:38 on his debut at the distance. He also led Italy to team silver behind Japan.
"The main goal today was to win team gold. Silver is better than nothing. Today, the weather was very tough for me. My condition is at percent but I fought with my legs, my mind, with my team to take this silver medal. This men's marathon team is a family. This is a very strong team and I am glad I paved the way for them,” said Stano.
And the future of Italian race walking looks in safe hands. Alessio Coppola and Nicolo Vidal finished third (41:16) and fourth (41:25) respectively in the U20 men’s 10km race walk behind China’s Pu Huajia in 39:58. They combined to win the team title ahead of China.
With only two scorers to count, the Italian and Chinese tandems were tied on seven points apiece but the victory went to Italy by virtue of their second counter placing higher than the second Chinese counter.
In the women’s U20 10km, Serena Di Fabio won individual silver in 46:21, leading Italy to a medal of the same colour in the team race in a race won by China’s Yang Yutong in 46:11.
Photos courtesy of Thiago Diz / World Athletics