Perseus Karlstrom wins in Rio Maior (© Organisers)
There were excellent wins for Alegna Gonzalez and Perseus Karlstrom at the Grande Prémio Internacional de Rio Maior em Marcha – a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold meeting – in Rio Maior, Portugal, on Saturday (16).
One was expected; the other came as a surprise. Karlstrom was a tired 12th place in Podebrady just seven days ago. Here, the 2023 world silver medallist improved his second place from 2025, while at the same time taking the prestigious scalp of Hayato Katsuki.
The Japanese, who claimed world 35km bronze in Tokyo and won the marathon at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Brasília last month, sits eighth on the world all-time list, and clearly brimming confidence, Katsuki made a bid for home at 16km.
It looked as if the race was done, but somehow Karlstrom dug deep to slowly get back in touch and then pass Katsuki. The Japanese desperately attempted to regain the lead only to fall foul of the DQ board and sit out a time penalty with barely a lap to go.
Arms aloft, Karlstrom strode through the finish line in 1:25:27, with time to spare on eventual second-place finisher Matheus Correa from Brazil (1:27:06).
Correa recovered from a tough time mid race to come through and pass Mexico’s Noel Chama, third in 1:28:16, and one-time leader Jordy Arrobo from Mexico. Eduardo Camarate from Portugal was fourth, 1:31:52 and compatriot Tiago Ramos fifth (1:34:50).
Early on, six athletes went through the first lap in 4:31. But that group soon fell apart with Karlstrom, Katsuki and Arrobo putting daylight between themselves and Chama and Correa.
However, the latter two dragged themselves back into contention six laps later. By 12km, the effort to rejoin the leaders appeared to have taken its toll on Correa, but he too was able to show strength and determination.
Katsuki passed Arrobo, with only Karlstrom able to stay in contention – albeit 10 metres back. That gap became 20 metres very quickly and timed at four seconds completing 16 laps. That was when Karlstom showed the grit that has made him so popular on the race walk circuit for more than 15 years as a senior athlete.
“This was an incredible and very emotional win,” Karlstrom posted on Instagram after the race. “I’m so proud and so happy my body is starting to respond again. Hopefully I’ve had my bad period this season now it will be up and up.”
In contrast to the men’s half marathon, the women’s race was done and dusted by 6km. Even so, Gonzalez went solo to record a tremendous 1:32:15 – the fourth-fastest time recorded to date for the new race walk distance.
The world 20km silver medallist from Mexico looked in control throughout, enhanced by a smooth, quick economical style that has already brought her success on the global stage.
Teammate Karla Serrano had the race of her life to claim second place, setting a PB of 1:35:22, exactly five minutes better than her previous mark.
Antigoni Ntrismpioti made up the podium in 1:36:33. The Greek, who won double gold at the 2022 European Championships and 35km bronze at the 2023 World Championships, celebrated her 42nd birthday in March but stuck to her task even after Gonzalez and Serrano moved ahead.
By lap 10, reached in 44:25, Gonzalez could see her two closest followers going down one side of the course, while she sped down the other.
The race for second place also took a turn in Serrano’s favour after 12 laps. Feeling confident, she slowly stretched the elastic back to Ntrismpioti until it snapped just past an hour into the race.
At one stage, there was also the unusual sight of Gonzalez lapping Viviane Lyra. The Brazilian, with multiple South American championship wins and seventh place in the Olympic marathon relay in 2024, was clearly having a bad day.
Not so the winner, who enjoyed a splendid isolation. As it turned out, Mexico boasted four of the first five: Valeria Ortuno was fourth in 1:38:14 and Valeria Flores fifth in 1:40:27.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
