Kimberly Garcia on her way to winning the 35km race walk in Dudince (© Pavol Uhrin)
The Grande Premio Internacional de Rio Maior on Saturday (6) – the next Gold stop on the World Athletics Race Walking Tour – sees Kimberley Garcia and Caio Bonfim attempting back-to-back victories.
After their wins at the Korzeniowski Warsaw Race Walking Cup two weeks ago, the South American pair head to Portugal surfing a wave of confidence.
Garcia, as defending champion also has the incentive of a third win to go with 2022 and 2017. But this is going to be a lot tougher than Warsaw. For a start, Peru’s golden girl faces the world record-holder.
In March 2021, Yang Jiayu stopped the clock with a scintillating 1:23:49 to become the fastest of all time, and she’s already made inroads this year. Last Saturday (30) she won a quick 10km in Madrid in 43:20, and before that in March went 1:26:41 on home soil in Huangshan.
Teammate Ma Zhenxia also has something to say. She was only two seconds behind Yang in Huangshan for a PB, and has since clocked a debut 2:47:38 at 35km. She too was in Madrid last week and shook out any lingering fatigue with 44:29.
If that isn’t enough, double world champion Garcia rubs shoulders on the start line with three-time winner Qieyang Shijie. The 2012 Olympic champion from China also recorded a speedy 35km in March, 2:41:59, just 22 seconds off her bronze-winning performance at the 2022 World Championships.
Add to that, Yang Liujing – who has a PB of 1:25:59 and a season’s best of 1:28:51 – and China plus Peru’s Garcia could be clear of the rest in double-quick time.
A second group should comprise Erica Sena, who gave Garcia a scare in Warsaw by overtaking her, only for the Peruvian to retaliate with a decisive final kilometre.
Alongside the Brazilian, Rachelle De Orbeta captured the Puerto Rican record with 1:31:11 in Dudince in March.
Ecuador’s Johana Ordonez has a 1:29:58 PB from Podebrady last year, and a second wave of Chinese race walkers – Li Maocuo, Bai Xueying and Yin Lamei – all have solid world-class times and should make the top 10.
Mixing it up in a middle-order battle, India’s Priyanka Goswami clocked 1:28:50 in February on home turf only five seconds outside her best.
As for domestic honours, it’s difficult to see past Ana Cabecinha. The Portuguese record-holder turned 39 last Saturday, but only 2017 world 50km champion Ines Henriques will get close – and she turned 43 on Tuesday.
In the men’s race, defending champion Brian Pintado from Ecuador and Bonfim will again lock horns after Warsaw, but will do well to make the podium, despite a speedy second place from the Brazilian at the Madrid 10km on Saturday.
They too have to duel five in-form Chinese race walkers, and the not-so-little matter of the double world champion.
Toshikazu Yamanishi’s PB of 1:17:15 is fifth fastest of all time, and Japan’s number one has decided his 2023 debut will be on the streets of a town famous for its salt.
Adding spice will be the man who boasts the third fastest 20km ever. Wang Kaihua clocked 1:16:54 for a Chinese record in Huangshan in March 2021. So far in 2023, he’s notched a more modest 1:21:39 in Italy back in January.
A better bet is Zhang Jun, who last month won the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix in Taicang in 1:17:38 – the fastest of the year and a sizeable 58 seconds ahead of current second place, Koki Ikeda.
The athlete with the third fastest 2023 time is David Hurtado – and he too will toe the line in Rio Maior. His 1:18:45 in Taicang was a massive personal best by almost two minutes. From the same city as the famed Jefferson Perez, Hurtado was third in Madrid – and just three seconds behind Bonfim: 39:03 to 39:06. If nothing else, Hurtado will have Pintado in his sights for the right to the Ecuador No1 spot.
Qian Haifeng could be a dark horse He’s only 22, but recorded 1:19:09 in Nomi in March and a comfortable 40:43 over 10km in Madrid last weekend. And there or thereabouts will be Jordy Jimenez after the third Ecuadorean in the men’s field posted a heartening 1:21:29 in February – his best since a PB of 1:20:47 two years ago.
Factor in even more Chinese race walkers: You Tao, Wen Yongjie and Wang Zhaozhao – all with 2023 world-class times – and the scene is set for a fast race.
He may be 47, but 2019 world 50km silver medallist João Vieira is still favourite for domestic honours after a 1:25:16 on home soil in March. Only Hélder Santos, 20 years Vieira’s junior, can offer a real challenge following a PB 1:26:56 in Cordoba, also in March.
One more intriguing entry is Carlos Mercenario. Like Freddy Weigel in Warsaw, the Mexican also has a famous name to lug around. Mercenario junior is the son of the same named race walker who earned Olympic silver in 1992. The 22-year-old version has a 1:28:06 PB from March, a two-minute plus improvement.
Spare a thought for the time keepers. The 1km loop sees the women’s start just 12 minutes ahead of the men. That’s 43 race walkers going at a rate of knots past the finish line 860 times if everyone finishes. Eyes open and electronic equipment working flawlessly is the hope.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
