Toshikazu Yamanishi wins in Madrid (© Organisers)
Japan's Toshikazu Yamanishi and Mexico’s Alegna Gozalez were the winners at the GP Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbo Telecom, the sixth Gold leg of the World Athletics Race Walking Tour, held over 10km in the Spanish capital on a sunny morning on Sunday (1).
Yamanishi, the 20km world record-holder, lived up to his billing as the men’s favourite by unleashing a lethal attack in the final kilometre to get the better of Brazil’s Olympic silver medallist Caio Bonfim while Gonzalez was a dominant winner, finishing 45 seconds ahead of Peru’s Evelyn Inga.
The men’s event started at a moderate pace, the first kilometre covered in 3:57 with a large pack headed by Mexico’s Ricardo Ortiz and national 35km record-holder Andrés Olivas, while pre-race favourites Yamanishi, Bonfim and Italy’s 2023 winner Francesco Fortunato were a few strides behind.
The pace increased on the second lap as Ortiz and Olivas covered it in 3:48, but the rhythm then slowed back down. Midway through the fourth lap, Bonfim sped away from the pack and reached the halfway point in 19:25 with a two-second lead over Ortiz and Japan’s Maruo Satoshi, while Yamanishi and Fortunato were a stride behind.
Bonfim was reeled in by his chasers on the sixth lap. By 7km (27:16), Ortiz pushed hard but Bonfim and Yaminishi stayed comfortably at his shoulder, six seconds ahead of Fortunato and Mexico’s Julio Cesar Salazar.
In a thrilling final three kilometres, Bonfim moved to the front to try to get rid of Ortiz and Yamanishi. Ortiz began to lose ground just before the bell, but two-time world champion Yamanishi made his move with about 700 metres to go and produced the quickest lap of the race (3:45) to finish in 38:50, just eight seconds shy of the course record.
Bonfim took the runner-up spot in 38:55 to get his third podium places in as many appearances with Ortiz completing the podium four seconds behind, beating European 20km bronze medallist Fortunato and former world 35km record-holder Dunfee.
“I feel in good shape and was able to retain my title but it was not easy,” said Yamanishi, who will compete over 20km next week in La Coruña.
Like the men’s race, the women’s contest started at a moderate pace, the first lap being covered in 4:24. Gonzalez and her Mexican compatriot Ilse Herrero made most of the early pace, closely followed by China’s Peng Li and Peru’s Evelyn Inga.
Peng increased the cadence for the second lap (4:16) before reducing her speed to 4:22 and 4:27 for the following circuits. About 4.5km into the race, Gonzalez took the lead and reached the halfway point in 21:44 with only Peng for company as Inga had lost a couple of seconds.
After another 4:16 lap, Gonzalez’s relentless pace paid off as Peng was unable follow in the Mexican’s footsteps and was soon caught by Inga. Gonzalez built a 36-second advantage with 2km to go and went on to win in a race record of 43:06. Inga was second in 43:51, four seconds ahead of Peng.
“I felt strong throughout, despite having suffered a tear in my abdomen some months ago which made me lose six weeks of training,” said Gonzalez, who will also compete in La Coruna next week before making her 35km debut in Ireland in July.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Leading results
Women
1 Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) 43:06
2 Evelyn Inga (PER) 43:51
3 Peng Li (CHN) 43:55
4 Antía Chamosa (ESP) 44:17
5 Ilse Guerrero (MEX) 44:32
6 Jiang Yunyan (CHN) 44:52
7 Yang Liuying (CHN) 44:56
8 Clemence Beretta (FRA) 44:56
9 Magaly Bonilla (ECU) 44:59
10 Nanako Fuji (JPN) 45:03
Men
1 Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) 38:50
2 Caio Bonfirm (BRA) 38:55
3 Ricardo Ortiz (MEX) 38:59
4 Francesco Fortunato (ITA) 39:06
5 Evan Dunfee (CAN) 39:22
6 Alvaro López (ESP) 39:32
7 Maruo Satoshi (JPN) 39:38
8 Declan Tingay (AUS) 39:53
9 Li Chenjie (CHN) 40:08
10 Julio Cesar Salazar (MEX) 40:10
