Francisco Javier Fernandez winner in Sesto San Giovanni with coach Robert Korzeniowski (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
Speaking after a day at the office, with his daughter bouncing on his knee, Robert Korzeniowski now lives a far more conventional lifestyle than that of the full-time athlete. But away from his job in Polish television, the four-time Olympic champion still has a strong foothold in the world of race walking - in coaching his former rival Francisco ‘Paquillo’ Fernández, as well as promoting the Krakow leg of the IAAF Race Walking challenge.
Prior to travelling to the first event in the 2008 Challenge at Chihuahua, Mexico, next weekend, Robert asserted his confidence that Spain’s leading walker (shortened by Robert to Paco) is on track in his preparations and revealed some of their plans for helping him realise his dreams in Olympic year and beyond.
Following a plan devised in November
According to Robert, “For Paco this will be quite an important race and I know it will be a very efficiently run competition. Along with my wife Agnieszka I organise the Krakow event in the IAAF Challenge and this will be my first chance this year to meet the athletes.”
“I’ve had regular meetings with Paco in Spain. We set up our Olympic plan back in November and train very much together even when I’m in Poland and he’s in Spain. I know his training has been very solid and he’s followed the plan totally.”
Totally focused on the main goals, the plan did not allow for a defence of the Spanish 20km title, held on 17 February. “The championships are important for Spain’s athletes to qualify but it did not fit into our plan. Paco will, however, race the Spanish Track and Field Championship, over 10,000m, at Tenerife on 27 July, just before the Olympics.”
“He will follow the pattern of last year in Mexico when he walked his first 20km of the season at the same time of year in the Spanish championships which were held in Ibiza in 2007. As then, the best guideline was for his first 20km of the year to be in March.”
Checkpoint Cheboksary
As to what Challenge events at which Paco compete, Robert’s plans allow for some flexibility.
“Of course, Paco is definitely invited to Krakow on 24 May, but we will decide on what Challenge events to race later on, after Chihuahua. He may race, for instance, in La Coruña but the more im-portant focus in his preparation in the first part of the season will be the World Cup. That will be an important checkpoint in Olympic year.”
The 23rd IAAF World Race Walking Cup will take place in the Russian city of Cheboksary, including the men’s 20km on 11 May. Paco is the current title holder having defeated his long time rival Jefferson Peréz in the Spanish city of La Coruña in 2006, in his first full season under the tutelage of Korzeniowski.
“Also, before then we will be testing out some tactical options in smaller competitions.”
But the focus for this weekend will be an early season rematch for Paco and Peréz in Chihuahua.
Heat and Beijing roads should hold no fear for Paco who is based in Guadix, in the sierras of Andalusia at 1200m altitude, but will also spend time at higher altitude twice more before the Olympics.
In the Sydney Games Fernández finished seventh in the 20km, and in Athens he lost out in a close race in the final kilometre race to surprise winner Ivano Brugnetti.
To realise his dream of winning the title at his third Olympic Games he will repeat much of last year’s plan that produced a silver medal in the heat of Osaka.
“Paco will only travel to Beijing two days before the race. For his final preparations he will be in iso-lated training with a few friends in Japan.”
“I’ve been to see the course for Polish TV and he doesn’t have to train on it specially. It’s an easy course,” claimed Robert.
“We are serene in our belief of what he can achieve there. We look to a podium position - we know his value and that of his rivals. Of course, he intends to win the Olympics but knows the realities and knows he is not the only contender. However, we are confident that on 16 August he will be 100% ready.”
Putting something back into society
Like his coach, Fernández is developing a wider role in his event than simply training and racing.
“Paco was appointed as an officer or the Andalusia government. He is in charge of youth development for race walking in the region, and he has formed a sport centre for kids in Guadix. He trains every day with them and they’ve achieved some very good results.”
“Paco (at 30) is a mature person with very high social recognition. He knows his position and wants to put something back into society during his career.”
Beyond Beijing
The road to Beijing may be carefully mapped out, some of it kept close to his chest but Robert offered a hint for what might be laid out for Paco beyond 2008.
“Sure, Paco will still be around for London 2012. He’ll only be 34 and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t try for the 50km!”
“We’ll decide at the right time, but first we’ll let the page turn after Beijing.”
Tim Watt for the IAAF