Fortunato and Yang triumph in Madrid

Italy's Francesco Fortunato and China's Yang Jiayu were victorious at the Gran Premio Internacional Finetwork Madrid Marcha – a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event – held over 10km in the Spanish capital on a bright Sunday (30).

While the Italian had to fight hard to beat his opponents with a 38:56 PB, world 20km record-holder Yang produced a convincing win in 43:20.

Brazil’s Caio Bonfirm was the early leader in the men’s race, covering the opening kilometre in 3:55 closely followed by Ecuador’s David Hurtado and Sweden’s defending champion Perseus Karlstrom.

The pace continued at sub-4:00 kilometres; by the third kilometre the clock read 11:53 still with a large leading pack headed by Fortunato, Karlstrom and Spanish duo Diego García and Paul McGrath. Shortly afterwards 23-year-old Hurtado put in a 3:52 kilometre with the Spanish duo plus Italy’s Olympic 20km and world 35km champion Massimo Stano trailing in his wake.

By halfway, which was reached in 19:42, nine men remained with winning chances: García, McGrath, Fortunato, Stano, Bonfim, Hurtado, 2021 Olympic 50km fourth-place finisher Marc Tur, and German duo Christopher Linke and Karl Junghannss. Karlstrom, meanwhile, had surprisingly lost touch with the sizeable leading group following Hurtado’s change of speed on the previous lap.

The in-form Hurtado maintained his 3:54/km cadence into the second half – which proved a tough pace to follow given the ups and downs of the circuit – before Linke took command in the seventh kilometre. Tur then began to falter, but a large pack still remained at the front, suggesting there would be a thrilling outcome at the iconic Gran Vía.

The key movement came midway through the eighth kilometre when Fortunato unleashed a powerful kick – covering that lap in 3:50 – and only European 35km silver medallist Linke could live with his frantic pace. The lead duo opened a 15-metre gap on the chase pack, which comprised Hurtado, Bonfirm, Stano and McGrath.

Fortunato’s relentless rhythm paid off as Linke couldn’t live with his pace and finally relented with about a mile to go. The Italian went through the bell alone after a 3:48 lap with a significant six-second margin on Hurtado, himself another four seconds clear of Bonfim and Stano.

Fortunato’s lead was never challenged by his pursuers in the final kilometre, but there were changes further down the field. Bonfim dropped Stano and caught Hurtado, who in turn managed to hold off the Stano’s late challenge to secure third place.

“I’m over the moon as it’s my first international win,” said 28-year-old Fortunato. “I knew I’m in good shape and was aiming ‘only’ for a podium place today after finishing fifth last year, but I felt very strong over the last kilometres and decided to push hard. This success is a huge morale-booster for me ahead of the European Team Championships in Podebrady in May and for the World Championships in Budapest. I’ve beaten a number of Olympic and world medallists here, and that’s great.”

Yang in a class of her own

In contrast to the men’s contest, there was only ever one genuine contender in the women’s race.

Taking advantage of the combined men’s and women’s start, world 20km record-holder Yang Jiayu latched on to the second pack in the men’s race and covered the first kilometre in a brisk 4:06.

Spain’s European 35km silver medallist Raquel Gonzalez was in second place at this point, already seven seconds adrift of Yang, the 2017 world champion. The Chinese race walker’s pace dropped over the next few laps (4:15 and 4:16), but it was still fast enough to increase her advantage to a massive 28 seconds by 3km, which she reached in 12:37.

Compatriot Wu Quanming and Greece’s double European champion Antigoni Ntrismpioti led a chase quintet which also included France’s Clemence Beretta, Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez and Portugal’s Ana Cabecinha.

The clock read 21:22 by the time Yang reached halfway – her leading margin now up to 37 seconds –but soon afterwards Wu and Gonzalez broke away from the rest of the chasing group and set off in pursuit of the long-time leader.

Yang’s next few laps were covered in the 4:22/4:25 range, while Wu and Gonzalez were making up ground behind her, but Yang’s victory was never seriously in doubt. The Chinese race walker eventually crossed the finish lin in 43:20, 13 seconds clear of teammate Wu (43:33) with Gonzalez a further two seconds behind.

Italy’s Antonella Palmisano – making her first outing on the roads since winning the Olympic title in 2021, having spent all of last year sidelined with injury – finished 13th in 45:05.

The World Athletics Race Walking Tour next moves to Rio Maior (6 May).

Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Leading results

Women
1 Yang Jiayu (CHN) 43:20
2 Wu Quanming (CHN) 43:33
3 Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) 43:35
4 Clemence Beretta (FRA) 44:06
5 Ana Cabecinha (POR) 44:16
6 Ma Zhenxia (CHN) 44:29
7 Li Maocuo (CHN) 44:36
8 Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) 44:38
9 Antía Chamosa (ESP) 44:49
10 Valentina Trapletti (ITA) 44:53

Men
1 Francesco Fortunato (ITA) 38:56
2 Caio Bonfirm (BRA) 39:03
3 David Hurtado (ECU) 39:06
4 Massimo Stano (ITA) 39:06
5 Paul McGrath (ESP) 39:09
6 Christopher Linke (GER) 39:11
7 Karl Junghannss (GER) 39:25
8 Gabriel Bordier (FRA) 39:25
9 Diego García (ESP) 39:50
10 Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) 40:04