Russia’s Vera Sokolova retained the women's Junior World Race Walking Cup 10km title in a championship record of 44:49, as a result of a devastating burst of speed in the final 200m.
The Chuvash eighteen-year-old also reasserted her domestic dominance, finishing three seconds clear of 15-year-old Aleksandra Kudryashova, reversing their order in the Russian Winter Championships in Adler earlier this year.
Sokolova also led Russia to retain their team victory from two years ago, with, as then, the minimum possbile team score.
Sokolova burst to the front right from the gun, with Volha Mazuronak (BLR) at her shoulder. As the positions settled, the two other Russians - Elena Ladanova and Aleksandra Kudryashova - grouped together in close order behind. Narin Kahraman of Turkey also choose very temporarily to move alongside the leaders but then dropped out of contention leaving the lead group as a quartet.
A 4:25 first kilometre split gave this foursome a five seconds lead on the Chinese Chai Xue.
At 2km (4:24 split) the three Russians pulled clear of Volha Mazuronak, who was by then ten seconds ahead of Chai Xue. Ladanova and Kudryashova occupied positions just behind each shoulder of Sokolova, who was dictating the pace.
Ukrainians Yuliya Davydenko and Svitlana Vavilova working together were already a minute behind the Russian trio who again increased by one second to 4:23 for the third kilometre.
Then at 4km, which was reached in 17:43, the Russians slowed to a 4:31 pace but remained in formation 16 seconds clear of Chai who had a 20 second margin over Mazuronak who already had two warnings cards.
The team standings at this point were an Eastern European affair - Russia 3 points (minimum) with Belarus second and Ukraine.
To 5km the pace increased slightly to 4:30 per km as the younger walker of the group, Kudryashova, began to slightly string out the three reaching half way in 22:13, to Sokolova's 22:13. In the process Ladanova let a 1 metre at gap form behind, reaching 5km in 22:14. All were well inside championship best pace.
Chai was 20 seconds back at 22:33 for half distance. Mazuronak remained 1:01 further back, with Ukraine's Svitlana Vavilova dividing the Belarussian challenge at 23:53 (1:40 back from the leader), three seconds ahead of Hanna Drabena. The Belarussians were also in the precarious position being on 2 warnings by 5km. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; By 6km the pace for Sokolova slowed again to 4:35 for the kilometre and Ladanova, who had lunged to the side to grab a sponge to cool her brow, closed again. Then&nbsp;as the leaders reached the full lap marker together at 26:48, Sokolova reasserted her leadership. However, as the Russians watched each other Chai was also closing rapidly - at 4:23 to their 4:37.
By then Sokolova was the only walker in the top five with no warnings to her name.
On the next lap, the Chinese girl Chai veered off course for water but Sokolva kept impassively to a straighter course following the shortest line on the curves. Then Elena Ladanova's race was ended as she&nbsp;was DQ'd from third place. Then at the&nbsp;bell Sokolova pushed ahead but Chai moved to challenge as the pace increased to 4:33 for the eighth kilometre. Soklova maintained her strong rhythm - but could not shake off the Chinese challenge, and as these leaders began the last 2km lap Kudryashova closed up the second she had lost on the leaders.
Nine kilometres was reached at 4:30 pace, and with 900m to go the race speedied up markedly, but as soon as Chai picked up her second warning she fell off the pace - leaving just the two Russians.
Sokolova remained impassive as Kudryashova looked smooth right behind her but on the final straight Sokolova pulled ahead by one metre, then another and another…to sprint ahead in the last 200m. She stretched away so rapidly that she won in 44:49, 40 seconds quicker than two years ago, and three seconds clear of the Kudryashova and Chai.
Sokolova's 4:21 last kilometre to Kudryashova 4:23 was decisive, while Chaie Xue trailed off for a 4:36 final split - 15 seconds behind the winner. The fourth place walker wasn't even on the same street - as Volha Mazuronak finished 2:51 behind the winner, but, with Vavilova and Davydenko 5th and 6th, the Ukraine overhauled Belarus for the second team spot.
Vera Sokolova said after the race "It was difficult at the beginning as the pace at the start was too fast - it then got easier. I adapted and saw I was winning. My main problem was to be selected for the World Junior Championships - and I have my place."&nbsp;
Tim Watt for the IAAF

Russia’s Vera Sokolova retained the women's Junior World Race Walking Cup 10km title in a championship record of 44:49, as a result of a devastating burst of speed in the final 200m.

Sokolova retains her title – Junior 10km women, La Coruña

As far as race walkers go Hatem Ghoula is fast becoming one of a kind.
The received wisdom is that the best in the world hunt in packs. Mexico, Russia and China all have strong traditions of group training. The Tunisian not only fends for himself, he has no coach, no sponsor, no physio and claims his federation largely allow him to do what he wants.
“My coach died two years ago so I look after myself. I was offered another coach by the Tunisian federation but there was no one that I rated."
“I am 33 you see, and not deemed young enough to be of interest to the powers that be,” he said ruefully.
Maybe those powers, will now give Ghoula a bit more attention after a splendid fourth in the 22nd World Race Walking Cup 20km in La Coruna. For 18k he was in with a shout of a medal, but was forced to give way to the great Jefferson Perez and the Chinese Yucheng Han as the pace took its toll.
However, Ghoula’s moment of glory came when he rallied in the closing 200 metres to power past Commonwealth gold medallist Nathan Deakes and claim a brave spot just outside the medals. 
“I have a best of 1:19:02, which is the African record, but I have to be honest with you, I have qualities, but sometimes it is hard for me to focus mentally and convince myself I can go all the way and really push it,” is Ghoula’s honest self-assessment.
That’s the trouble with training on your own. 
Three hours on a lonely trail gives you too much time to think, and Ghoula has done a lot of thinking since he converted to the sport for a joke.
He gave it a go for a lap of the track just to please his uncle as a 19-year-old, and discovered he was a better walker than he had been a runner.
Four World Cup appearances have shown he made the right choice, even if he has often been the lone Tunisian at the opening ceremony.
He said: “I pay for everything myself, and I do 220km a week including specific speed sessions as well as altitude conditioning at Fort Romeu and Ifrane in Morocco, where Hicham El Guerrouj also trains.”
It was also a rarified atmosphere for Ghoula in Spain, but he admits the oxygen of his best ever finish has boosted his fragile confidence.
He said: “I want a place on the podium for the Olympics. I am a bit disappointed in not getting a medal in La Coruna, but I still have hopes.”
Perhaps the moral is that all good things come to those who wait, even if the waiting is done on one’s own.
Paul Warburton for the IAAF

As far as race walkers go Hatem Ghoula is fast becoming one of a kind.

Ghoula, alone but determined - La Coruña

Russian juniors dominate the rankings from times walked ahead of this race, and Sergey Morozov lived up to his billing as the world's leading performer after a start-to-finish victory.
His only challenger was the 16-year-old sensation from China, Li Gaobo, who in April won the senior 20km at the IAAF Grand Prix in Yangzhou. His 1:18:18 that day outpaced even senior champions such as Nathan Deakes and Ilya Markov.
A leading trio of Marazov and Li, together with Yong Shi, also of China, walked the first two kilometre lap in a fast 7:48 - 39 minute pace - more than a minute-and-a-half faster than the winning time in the first World Cup 10km walk at Naumburg in 2004.
The Mexicans Jose Sanchez and Rafael Ramon Avendaño were the closest pursuers, ending the first lap already 11 seconds behind. 
Settling at 4:05/4:06 pace, the leading trio pulled ahead but shortly after the half-way point, third placed Yong Shi was shown the red disqualification disk having already dropped back to 12 seconds behind Morozov, who had himself produced a two second gap over Gaobo Li. 
However, Li, too, was disqualified shortly after six kilometres, leaving Morozov's nearest challengers as the two Mexicans already over a minute off the leader's pace. 
At 7km Aleksey Grigoryev (RUS) moved up to within a second of the two Mexicans, then quickly overhauled Avendaño and moved up to jointly contest second place with Sanchez.
At 4:06 kilometre pace Morozov looked easy and relaxed - and reached the bell with no worries about his technique as he had no warnings on the board.
Sanchez and Grigoryev reached the bell 1:22 behind Morozov, and at the second to last turn the Russian could afford to look back down the course for sight of his nearest challenger. After checking, he knew he had no need to rush unduly - the red vested Russian could have afforded time to inspect the horticultural display within the roundabout presented in a fortuitous matching blooms by La Coruña's city gardeners.
With a 4:10 last kilometre Morozov claimed the victory for Russia but behind him, to cheers from a crowd buoyed by Paquillo's win earlier, Grigoryev lost his second placing to Miguel Ángel Lopez.
The Spaniard applauded the crowd as he claimed the silver medal. "I thought I could be in the first five but never expected second!" he said after rapidly recovering his breath.
Russia won the team event with four points (two to score), ahead of Belarus (Dzmitry Hamzunou sixth and Dzianis Krauchuk eighth), then Spain for whom Abdelilah Jaadar in 26th place completed the team for the host nation.
The 16-year-old Morozov, who comes from Saransk, the capital of the Russian Republic of Mordovia, has only been competing at race walking for three years having been a runner prior to that.
"I was pretty sure of the victory when the Second Chinese (Li) was disqualified," he said after the race. "I could see a bit big gap behind me. I wanted to get under 40 minutes but it was difficult on my own."
Tim Watt for the IAAF

Russian juniors dominate the rankings from times walked ahead of this race, and Sergey Morozov lived up to his billing as the world's leading performer after a start-to-finish victory.

10km Men - 13 May 

Two years ago, Olympic gold medallist Ivano Brugnetti of Italy alluded to the idea that Francisco Javier Fernandez didn’t have what it takes at the sharp end of a race.
The Spaniard didn’t need a sprint in La Coruña.
By the time Brugnetti crossed the line, Fernandez had already given his first interview after blazing a trail in the 22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup. Ever since the Spaniard was adopted by Olympic great Robert Korzeniowski as his coach, Fernandez has repeatedly been told by his mentor, ‘he’s not only going to beat Brugnetti, but everyone else as well.’
The Italian finished a lowly 15th in the Spanish port, but once the initial charge had been stalled, there was only going to be one winner.
China’s Yucheng Han shot away from the gun like it startled him. The Chinese hurtled through the first kilometre in a time which would have brought him home inside 76 minutes!
Once he settled down a minute later Han was reeled in by double Commonwealth gold medallist Nathan Deakes and home favourite Fernandez. However, the trio were still comfortably inside a World record by the end of the first 2km.
When they reached 3km in 11:42, the pace had become a more manageable tilt at Jefferson Perez’s World record at the 2003 Paris World Championships.
As they moved into lap three Fernandez edged ahead of Deakes, who in turn had 10 metres on Han. Behind the frame places, a group of 12 ominously included Perez clearly biding his time.
Another circuit saw only Fernandez and Deakes interested in a sub 78-minutes time, and even then the Spaniard had eight seconds over the Aussie.
At 5k the team race was a much tighter affair with Russia ahead by 13 points, but a largely new Mexican trio six ahead of China.
By 10km Fernandez was still averaging 3:53 minutes for each super-fast kilometre, but the group behind Deakes was inching closer. Perez, had been joined by Tunisian champion Hatem Ghoula, Han, Colombian Luis Fernando Lopez – on a pace two minutes inside his PB - and two Russians.
A lap later and Deakes had been swallowed up and Ghoula – a veteran of four World Cups – was making a bid for silver with a 3:50 kilometre. The team race had also undergone a drastic change. China were a mere point ahead of Russia, and to excited cheers from supporters around the waterside course, Spain had moved into bronze medal position.
By 14km Fernandez had not only laid down the foundations for a popular win, he had cemented the cornerstone. 
The chasing group of four had dropped Lopez and recovered Han, but were still 58 seconds down on the leader and losing ground. Spain had also moved up a step on the podium to silver.
A World record was beyond even Fernandez when he recorded the slowest kilometre of his race at 17k. 4:02 was still good enough to keep up an unassailable first, but the race for second was wide open with Perez and Han neck-and-neck.
“I am very happy with home crowd victory," Fernandez&nbsp;said. "It meant everything – I discussed this with Robert (Korzeniowski) and the idea was to start fast. The idea went to plan. I was in very good shape."
"“I was surprised Jefferson Perez didn’t make an effort to catch me after 10k,"&nbsp;the Spaniard added, "and that gave me heart.”
The team competition was even more dynamic, with Spain taking the lead for the first time.
From nowhere Australia moved into second thanks to Deakes’ perseverance and good grouping from teammates Jared Tallent and Luke Adams who were in 14th and 18th position.
It wasn’t quite a case of throwing down the gauntlet, but when Perez through away his cap away going into the last kilometre, it meant much the same as he quickly opened up a five-metre gap on the Han to claim silver.
“Right now all I want to do is rest," said Perez. "I’m very disappointed. I have the utmost respect for Fernandez. At the moment he is the most prepared walker in the world, and the best coach. There was no excuse. I did all I could, but I was unable to push my body the way I normally do. My heart and my head didn’t give me what I had in the past. Today I saw the future Olympic champion. What happened today puts everything about my future back into question.”
The sprint of the day saw Ghoula summon up his last ounce of energy to pass a tiring Deakes in the final 50 metres for a season’s best time. 
Fernandez collected two golds, but Spain’s team win was a mere four points over Australia. Second place was only decided on count-back with Russia also finishing on 37 points in closest team finish for 11 years.
Paul Warburton for the IAAF

Two years ago, Olympic gold medallist Ivano Brugnetti of Italy alluded to the idea that Francisco Javier Fernandez didn’t have what it takes at the sharp end of a race.

Fernandez confirms Korzeniowski’s prediction – 20km Men, La Coruña

Two years ago, Olympic gold medallist Ivano Brugnetti of Italy alluded to the idea that Francisco Javier Fernandez didn’t have what it takes at the sharp end of a race.

The Spaniard didn’t need a sprint in La Coruña

20km Men - 13 May

A cosmopolitan atmosphere and temperate conditions on the first day of the 22nd World Race Walking Cup on the streets of La Coruña were ideal for fast times. Indeed, Ryta Turava from Belarus was bold enough to suggest she could take Olimpiada Ivanova's World record on the seaside course as well as reverse the team domination enjoyed by the Russia in race walking World Cups. 
After holding back in the first half the race, the 25-year-old reversed the individual positions of the Helsinki World Championships but as a whole the Russians maintained their tradition with an easy team gold, made up of a new generation of young walkers behind the 35-year-old Ivanova.
Turava won the IAAF Race Walking Challenge series last year, dominated today with a well paced effort that none could match from 12km. Yet her sights had been set even higher, aiming for a team win, plus the bolder claim of being capable of producing a new World record.
The winning time of 1:26:27 was a championship record, overhauling Yelena Nikolayeva’s event record set at Naumburg in 2004 but was a tantalising 48 seconds short of Ivanova’s record set in Helsinki.
“I think I made a mistake - I normally take an energy drink from home and I thought water would be OK today but after the first few kilometres my legs were hurting. I get that sometimes,” said the winner.
Shin soreness is a common affliction of the race walker, usually a result of not tapering training sufficiently prior to a tough race.
Ivanova led to 7km but began to feel the pressure of Turava at her shoulder but, surprisingly, it was a younger Russian Irina Petrova who challenged Turava after that. The 20-year-old from St. Petersburg took the lead for the next three kilometres until Turava suddenly upped the pace to inside World record schedule at 11km. 
However, she could not maintain that to the end, and the Russian depth of talent outfought a determined Belarus team effort. Ivanova overhauled Petrova to finish a steady 1:27:26 for second, Petrova was third and Olga Kaniskina fifth - a clear team title ahead of China and Belarus.
“I have still to work on my technique I am a bit upset not to have the record and I thought I could get it today” said Turava after taking the victory.
Tim Watt for the IAAF

A cosmopolitan atmosphere and temperate conditions on the first day of the 22nd World Race Walking Cup on the streets of La Coruña were ideal for fast times. Indeed, Ryta Turava from Belarus was bold enough to suggest she could take Olimpiada Ivanova's World record on the seaside course as well as reverse the team domination enjoyed by the Russia in race walking World Cups.

20km Women - 13 May

A cosmopolitan atmosphere and temperate conditions on the first day of the 22nd World Race Walking Cup on the streets of La Coruña were ideal for fast times. Indeed, Ryta Turava from Belarus was bold enough to suggest she could take Olimpiada Ivanova's World record on the seaside course as well as reverse the team domination enjoyed by the Russians in race walking World Cups. 
After holding back in the first half the race, the 25-year-old reversed the individual positions of the Helsinki World Championships but as a whole the Russians maintained their tradition with an easy team gold, made up of a new generation of young walkers behind the 35-year-old Ivanova.
Turava won the IAAF Race Walking Challenge series last year, dominated today with a well paced effort that none could match from 12km. Yet her sights had been set even higher, aiming for a team win, plus the bolder claim of being capable of producing a new World record.
The winning time of 1:26:27 was a championship record, overhauling Yelena Nikolayeva’s event record set at Naumburg in 2004 but was a tantalising 48 seconds short of Ivanova’s record set in Helsinki.
“I think I made a mistake - I normally take an energy drink from home and I thought water would be OK today but after the first few kilometres my legs were hurting. I get that sometimes,” said the winner.
Shin soreness is a common affliction of the race walker, usually a result of not tapering training sufficiently prior to a tough race.
Ivanova led to 7km but began to feel the pressure of Turava at her shoulder but, surprisingly, it was a younger Russian Irina Petrova who challenged Turava after that. The 20-year-old from St. Petersburg took the lead for the next three kilometres until Turava suddenly upped the pace to inside World record schedule at 11km. 
However, she could not maintain that to the end, and the Russian depth of talent outfought a determined Belarus team effort. Ivanova overhauled Petrova to finish a steady 1:27:26 for second, Petrova was third and Olga Kaniskina fifth - a clear team title ahead of China and Belarus.
“I have still to work on my technique I am a bit upset not to have the record and I thought I could get it today” said Turava after taking the victory.
Tim Watt for the IAAF

Turava prevents total Russian domination - 20km Women, La Coruña 

Morozov start-to-finish - Junior Men's 10km race

Tim Berrett goes for his seventh World Cup race walk in La Coruña tomorrow morning, but that’s not the Canadian race walker’s ultimate goal.
The 41-year-old, originally from Tonbridge in England, hopes he will eclipse the longevity of Jan Zelezny’s record eight World Championship appearances when the 50k walker toes the line in Osaka next year.
If he makes Beijing two years on it will be the former British junior record holder’s fifth Olympics as well.
Meticulously planned 
Nobody in the Spanish port has been to as many majors as Berrett, and when you take into account his two Commonwealth bronzes, the big question is why he still bothers when his original challengers are watching from the roadside?
“To improve,” is the short answer. It’s because he can is the hidden truth. One of the Canadian’s delights on seeing the flat, scenic course for the World Cup was the fact there was a children’s playground slap bang in the middle of the 2k loop.
It means Berrett’s two young children will be able to frolic on the slides when watching Dad loses its appeal after a few of the 25 circuits. Berrett’s training regime is just as meticulously planned.
A minute after he drops the children off at the sports centre close to his home in Edmonton in the middle of the Canadian winter, he is on a treadmill in an adjacent gym for two hours.
Two minutes after he steps off, he picks the infants up.
His wife Tara also gave up her life as a Canadian hockey international to help keep Berrett on the road.
He admits his work as a freelance economics research analyst has also allowed him to remain a professional race walker for 20 years.
Staying to complete the circle in 2012?
He said: “I’ll keep going as long as I can live with the world’s best fields, and it helps that my work kind of fits around it.”
It’s always been a standing joke between his friends that much-travelled from Tonbridge has never had a ‘proper job’ – but there again it says much he’s come back time and again for more four-hour slogs.
At the 1997 World Cup in Podebrady he crossed the line in 3:46:52 - a Canadian record. A minute later he was told by the chief judge his disqualification had rendered the 31 mile journey pointless.
There are some who have packed in the sport straight after – but not Berrett. In fact, it was another three years before he set his 20k best – 1:21:40, and another seven before he crossed the line in the 2004 IAAF Challenge at Tijuana in 3:50:20.
What about full circle for the 2012 Olympics when Berrett will be back on original home soil at the ripe old age of 47?
“Nothing’s been ruled out,” he reckoned with a completely straight face.
Paul Warburton for the IAAF

Tim Berrett goes for his seventh World Cup race walk in La Coruña tomorrow morning, but that’s not the Canadian race walker’s ultimate goal.

Berrett “to improve” at his record seventh World Cup! – La Coruña 

&nbsp; The IAAF Press Conference to launch this weekend’s 22nd edition of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held today in Fundacíon Caixa Galicia, La Coruña.
In attendance were IAAF President Lamine Diack, José Maria Odriozola, RFEA President, Esteban Lareo, City Councillor for Sport, and Pierre Weiss, IAAF General Secretary.
And the following stars of the Race Walking scene - Nathan Deakes (AUS), Olympic 20km bronze medallist, Francisco Javier Fernández (ESP), European champion, World &amp; Olympic 20km silver medallist, Jefferson Pérez (ECU), double World 20km champion and defending World Cup winner, Jane Saville (AUS), Olympic 20km bronze medallist, and&nbsp;Claudia Stef (ROM) - 2006 IAAF Race Walking Challenge, current women’s standings leader.
---------- Athletes' Quotes
Claudia Stef
“I set my national record here (La Coruña) two years ago and it’s my fifth time here.”
“The course is very nice and fast and easy to race on. I find the people very nice and encouraging.”
You lead the IAAF Challenge with one win and two second places, is there any difference in your training this year?
&nbsp;“This is the first year in many years when I’ve had no injuries. I was very disappointed at Helsinki where I was eighth so that made me focus better this year and everything has been prefect; my training has been very good.”
“I didn’t give my all in the previous Challenge events so I hope to be in the first three or six.”
You’re leading the series and Ryta Turava can only overtake if she beats the world record. Any chance of a World record from you?”
&nbsp;“Ryta is very strong, she had some bad luck in Rio Maior, but she could do a World Record. I just hope for a fast time.”
 Francisco Javier Fernández
‘Paquillo’ if I can call you that (“no problem”) What makes the event special?
“’Los Cantones en La Coruña’ is best Spanish race walking event with good crowds and support and it has an excellent, fast course. It is also special for me to race in my own country.”
What extra motivation does having Robert Korzeniowski as your coach give you?
“Robert Korzeniowski is a person that inspires me and in whom I have trust. He’s a great trainer and I’m happy to be with him. He motivates me greatly and I’ve learned a lot.”
“I feel I’m getting better day by day when I’m with Robert.”
You set a world best before road best times qualified as World Records, which was beaten by one second by Jefferson Peréz in Paris 2003 - is a World Record likely tomorrow?
“It depends on the weather and particularly the temperature. If it’s like today - 18/19C - then it would be a good temperature for competing in and could be very fast.”
“If personal bests come along that’s one thing, but I have to concentrate not so much on records but my own race. I haven’t really thought about records. But if it works out that I win the race and set a record - that would be great.”
 Jefferson Peréz 
You were the 1998 winner and three times World Cup winner - are you ready for another victory?
“Firstly, I’d like to thank the organisers and officials of this event in La Coruña. It’s an honour for me to participate in this sport.”
“In answer to the question - one can’t live on the results of the past - it’s nice to have done well before but you always have to have your thoughts on the upcoming event.” 
“It’s nice to come and compete. I also feel I’m representing the thousands of Ecuadorians who come to Spain in search of work. I’ve come in search of the same sort of opportunities; I feel I’ve come to show that the people of a small country like Ecuador are worthy of the chance of being given opportunities here.”
“Like a child going to school you can’t always pass exams but the important thing is you try your best. I respect all these athletes but only some can win.”
Your sporting acheivements have done a lot to publicise your country and I know your religion is a driving force....
“Whether I win or lose is not going to change the lives of Ecuadorians. I want to show I’m an ordinary guy - all I want to be is like that guy” (points at Robert Korzeniowski).”
“I also dream of serving God. The Catholic religion came to my country from Spain. God is of the highest importance to me - serving him is my main driving force.”
Do you think you are now the greatest 20km walker ever?
“You know, this morning outside my hotel there was a group of kids with an Italian trainer who pointed to me and said, ‘do you know who he is?’ explaining what I’ve won. To which the boy said ‘but he’s so little and thin!’”
“It’s quite possible that I don’t have the best physiology - I may just eat porridge and rice. I haven’t come to be the greatest ever but I do all I can to be the best in the world’.”
“I’m happy to say I think it’s Robert Korzeniowski who’s the best ever. He’s a hard act to follow.”
 What do you think the possibilities are for the Spanish and Ecuadorian teams?
“When we had the competition two years ago the Spanish didn’t have Francisco Fernández. Now their team is are complete. They have two World medallists now and real possibilities of medals.”
“As for Ecuador, a month ago we had a team camp in Peru and the young boys pointed to the stats showing the Chinese have 37 walkers in the top 100 in the rankings - they asked what chance have we got?”
“I said to them the chances are actually 50% - it may or may not happen. Our team is very young (apart from me!) but professional. It still needs a little bit of beating into shape but we hope for a surprise.”
After which Francisco Fernández also commented: “Our Spanish team has a lot of experience now - with Juan Manuel Molina and myself - plus we now have young Benjamin Sánchez - who was a junior two years ago but is doing well at 20km now - and José Ignacio Díaz. We have a good team, perhaps good enough for a top three placing.” 
“Ecuador, China and Russia all have a good chance. The outcome could be complicated; I’d be happy with a medal.”
 Nathan Deakes and Jane Saville
To both Jane and Nathan - you have a lot in common, both have Athens Olympic bronze medals at 20km and both hold area and national records. You both also recently retained your Commonwealth titles. Can you say what winning golds at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne meant to each of you?
Jane Saville: “The atmosphere was great in Melbourne; the crowds were amazing and it was lovely to be on home turf - and the Melburnians have a notorious love of any sport, even the sport of race walking that many of them had never seen before.”
Nathan Deakes: “It was very important for me to defend my title. I’m a Melburnian at heart as I grew up in Geelong which is 40km along the coast. Another thing Jane and I have in common is we come from near a beach.”
“It was estimated there were 10,000 person crowds at both days of the race walks including the Prime Minister. Also, I was very grateful to be presented with the medals on the evenings of the walks at the MCG”.
Do you think you could push&nbsp;to improve your Area Records?
Nathan Deakes: “Times are secondary - I was under 78 minutes here last year and my best is just 12 seconds off the record. I could give Jefferson’s record a nudge but what I’d really love to do is improve on my third place in Naumburg in 2004.&nbsp; I’d also be really pleased if Australia does well in the team competitions.”
Jane Saville: “I’d like to win a medal. Another difference between me and Nathan was that he was third last time and I was fourth. I definitely hope to be up there again. I wouldn’t think I could do a world record. I hope for a personal best but I’d just like to be happy with my performance.”
 Tim Watt for the IAAF

The IAAF Press Conference to launch this weekend’s 22nd edition of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held today in Fundacíon Caixa Galicia, La Coruña.

Athletes' Press Conference Quotes - World Race Walking Cup

La Coruña, SpainThe IAAF Press Conference to open the 22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held this afternoon at the Fundaciön Caixa Galicia, La Coruña, Spain, and was hosted by&nbsp;IAAF President Lamine Diack.
Here follows, President Diack’s opening address - 
“It gives me great pleasure to be here in this beautiful setting on the occasion of the 22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup." 
"In 2006, with no World Championships in Athletics or Olympic Games titles to be contested, the World Race Walking Cup takes on an added significance, and will mark the conclusion of the 2006 IAAF Race Walking Challenge."
"The IAAF World Race Walking Cup has had an important role in the development of global athletics in advance of the establishment of the IAAF’s own World Championships in Athletics in 1983." 
"Originally named ‘The Lugano Trophy’, the roots of the IAAF Race Walking Cup date right back to 1961, when a Swiss sports journalist, race walker and race organiser called Armando Libotte decided to make his event in Lugano the international highlight of the race walking calendar. His idea for a world team championship swiftly became one of the main competition highlights for male race walkers and in 1985, with more and more countries interested in competing, the competition was renamed as the “IAAF World Race Walking Cup”. 
"With such a proud and long history the competition is more popular than ever and now offers three senior and two junior races on the road. I am very pleased to announce a record number of participants - 421 athletes (272 men/ 149 women) representing 59 IAAF Member Federations, will be taking part this weekend in La Coruña."
"In the men’s races, we even have the chance that Cup history will be carved out in both the 20km and 50km races, as Jefferson Perez of Ecuador and Russia’s Aleksey Voyevodin are aiming to do something very special by winning their third consecutive World Cup victories."
"Historically, Spain has been one of the world’s foremost nations in this special event, not only providing us with a number of great talents over the years, but also a number of world class competitions. In short, I would say that Spain is a country that appreciates and loves Race Walking."
"But Spain is also a country that loves athletics in all its forms, and under the enlightened governance of the Royal Spanish Athletics federation, has become a renowned organiser of world class athletics competitions. Indeed, Spain is perhaps the most experienced organisers of IAAF World Athletics Series competitions in recent decades, and I have every confidence that La Coruña will continue the good work of previous Spanish host cities like Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Amorebieta and Madrid."
"I am confident that the local Organising Committee in La Coruña, who have been organisers of a top meeting of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in recent years, will do all that they can to ensure that the facilities are ideal for the participants and fans who are likely to line the roads, and also to make the competition attractive for television viewers. I wish all those who are involved organising the IAAF Race Walking Cup in La Coruña, the best of luck as the countdown to the competition begins. I would now like to give the floor to my IAAF Council colleague Jose Maria Odriozola, president of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation. Thank you very much.”
IAAF

La Coruña, Spain – The IAAF Press Conference to open the 22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held this afternoon at the Fundaciön Caixa Galicia, La Coruña, Spain, and was hosted by IAAF President Lamine Diack.

IAAF President’s speech - World Race Walking Cup

Uniquely in the history of Race Walking, this year’s IAAF World Race Walking Cup which takes place this weekend in La Coruña, Spain, 13 – 14 May, coincides with the conclusion of the current season of the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge. 
The Race Walking Challenge which was inaugurated in 2003, has until now always climaxed with the global championship of that season, whether the IAAF World Championships in Athletics (2003 &amp; 2005) or the Olympic Games (2004). 
However, the 2006 outdoor season has no individual global championships at its peak and so the 22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup in La Coruña becomes the zenith of the race walking year on the world stage.
For this reason the weekend’s events have double the importance for many of the race walkers, and with this coincidence comes a substantial single pay day, the biggest in the discipline’s history. The total value of the prize money for the Cup (individuals $210,000; teams $157,500) and Challenge ($202,000) mounts to over half a million dollars ($569,500). 
PRIZE MONEY on offer from the IAAF
NOTE. Senior races only; All figures in US dollars
22nd IAAF World Race Walking Cup
Individual 1st 30,000, 2nd 15,000, 3rd 10,000, 4th 7000, 5th 5000, 6th 3000 
Teams 1st 15,000, 2nd 12,000, 3rd 9000, 4th 7500, 5th 6000, 6th 3000 
 IAAF Race Walking Challenge 2006
Individual 1st 30,000, 2nd 20,000, 3rd 15,000, 4th 10,000, 5th 8000, 6th 7000, 7th 6000, 8th 5000 
NB. no team awards
<A href="http://www.iaaf.org/WRC06/results/standings/index.html" target=_blank>Click here for the current IAAF Race Walking Challenge 2006 standings</A>
IAAF

Uniquely in the history of Race Walking, this year’s IAAF World Race Walking Cup which takes place this weekend in La Coruña, Spain, 13 – 14 May, coincides with the conclusion of the current season of the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge.

WORLD ATHLETICS RACE WALKING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

After La Coruña silver, Perez mulling over decision to walk away

Fernández and Stef secure 2006 IAAF Race Walking Challenge titles

Junior Women 10km - 14 May

Men 50km - 14 May

Nizhegorodov victory dispels Athens pain - 50km Men, La Coruña