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| Slovakia's Matej Toth is aiming to become the first home winner at the European Athletics Race Walking Permit meeting in Dudince on Saturday. |
The second of this winter’s four European Athletics Race Walking Permit Meetings will be the 30th edition of the famous Dudinska Patdesiatka walking meeting, which is held in the southern Slovakian spa town of Dudince on Saturday.
The organisers have put together a superb field but most of the attention will be on local hero and 2010 World Race Walking Cup 50km winner Matej Tóth, who is aiming to become the first Slovakian winner of the showpiece event for seven years.
Last year, Tóth won the supporting 20km race in Dudince as part of his preparations for his successful outing in Chihuahua, Mexico, two months later.
This time around there are hopes that Tóth can have a good attempt at trying to reduce his own national record 3:41:32, set two years ago in Dudince when he finished second behind France’s phenomenal Yohann Diniz, who posted the current course record of 3:38:45.
“I certainly think that Mato is in good enough shape to attack his Slovak record, he is in better form than he was before he competed here two years ago. Whether he finally does it obviously depends on several factors,” said race director Peter Korčok.
There is no Diniz this time, he is still recovering from his recent 50km world record on the track, but Tóth still faces strong challengers from elsewhere in Europe and further afield among the 70 walkers who have registered for the race.
Poland’s Rafal Augustyn won in Dudince 12 months ago, clocking a personal best of 3:49:54, and could be ready to make another big step forward on the same course.
Other Polish walkers with good credentials include Artur Brzozowski, who was second in 2010 behind his compatriot, Rafal Fedaczynski and Maciej Rosiewicz; all of whom were in the top 20 European walkers over the distance last year.
A strong continent also comes from France and includes Denis Langlois, Cedric Houssaye, Sebastien Biche, Bertrand Moulinet and Herve Davaux. Portugal’s Antonio Pereira, the national 50km walk record holder, also returns after finishing sixth last year.
Other competitors on the start line of the race will include Australia’s 2007 World Championship 50km walk gold medallist Nathan Deakes', his last outing over the distance, and Mexico’s 2009 World Championships 20km bronze medallist Eder Sanchez, who is making his debut at the longer distance.
The 50km race will act as the national championship not only for Slovakia but also for Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The certified course is also a qualifying race for the 2011 World Championships and 2012 Olympic Games.
The women 20km field contains Ireland’s 2009 World Championships silver medal winner Olive Loughnane, who will be having her first outing since stomach cramps ended her medal ambitions early in the race at the 2010 European Athletics Championships.
In total 300 walkers from 25 countries will compete in all the day’s races.