Peruvian race walker Kimberly Garcia (© Getty Images)
Kimberly Garcia and Liu Hong – two of the world’s most versatile race walkers – will clash over 35km at the Dudinska 50 on Saturday (25). They are just two of the many global medallists who will be in action when the Slovakian city of Dudince hosts the first Gold level competition in the 2023 World Race Walking Tour.
Garcia will be contesting her first race since winning double gold at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22. The 29-year-old from Peru made all sorts of history on that occasion, becoming the first woman to win two race walking titles at a global championships, and the first athlete from Peru to earn a global title.
When winning on the streets of Eugene, Garcia set a national 20km record of 1:26:58 and a South American 35km record of 2:39:16. She made her 35km debut in Dudince last year, finishing a close second in 2:43:19, so this time she will be keen to go one better.
Liu, meanwhile, is also no stranger to major titles or record-breaking performances.
The 35-year-old from China is a four-time world champion over 20km and the 2016 Olympic champion over the same distance. In her one foray over 50km four years ago, she set a world record of 3:59:15, but Saturday’s race will be her first attempt at a standalone 35km race.
Garcia and Liu won’t be the only contenders, though.
Poland’s Katazyna Zdzieblo, who finished runner-up to Garcia at both distances in Oregon, as well as the 20km at the European Championships one month later, is also entered. The 26-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022 and set a national record of 2:40:03 at the 35km distance.
Glenda Morejon won the 35km at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 22, finishing almost two minutes ahead of her nearest rival. That remains her only 35km outing to date, but the conditions in Dudince will be far kinder than those in the Omani capital, so the Ecuadorian will likely improve upon her 2:48:33 PB.
Other contenders include China’s Ma Li and Wu Quanming, Ecuador’s Magaly Bonilla and Johana Ordonez, and Brazilian duo Viviane Lyra and Erica de Sena.
The men’s 35km field is also loaded.
It was in Dudince where Dawid Tomala completed his first ever 50km before going on to win the Olympic title over that distance five months later in 2021. The Pole returns to the Slovakian city to race over 35km, hoping to improve upon the 2:30:47 PB he set at last year’s World Championships and achieve the 2:29:40 qualifying standard for this year’s World Championships.
Ecuador’s Brian Pintado, who narrowly missed out on a medal in Oregon last year, heads to Dudince with the fastest PB of the field, the 2:24:37 he clocked on the streets of Eugene. He opened his 2023 campaign last month with a comfortable 2:40:39 victory at the Ecuadorian Championships in Machala.
Brazil’s 2017 world bronze medallist Caio Bonfim, a consistent top-eight finisher at global championships, will be making his third appearance in Dudince, having placed third over 20km in 2014 and fourth in 2015.
Portugal’s 2019 world 50km silver medallist Joao Vieira is also entered, along with Mexican record-holder Ricardo Ortiz and compatriot Jose Doctor – the runner-up in Dudince last year.
Other contenders include Finnish record-holder Aleksi Ojala and Chinese duo Xu Hao and Cui Lihong.
Double world bronze medallist Perseus Karlstrom leads the men’s 20km field. The Swede won over that distance in Melbourne last month in a swift 1:19:27, and he will be keen to achieve his first victory on the streets of Dudince.
Colombia’s 2017 world champion Eider Arevalo heads to Slovakia off the back of a 1:21:54 victory in Coimbra. The 30-year-old is a former winner in Dudince (2018) and finished third on his last appearance there in 2021.
Guatemala’s Jose Barrondo, who won over 20km in Dudince last year, is back to defend his title. Mexico’s Ever Palma and Ireland’s David Kenny are also worth keeping an eye on, as is India’s Sandeep Kumar.
Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez, who finished fifth over 20km at the Olympic Games in 2021, leads the women’s field.
Her toughest opposition will likely come from her compatriots, Valeria Ortuno – the 2021 winner in Dudince – and Ilse Guerrero.
