Ivano Brugnetti breaking the Italian record in the 5km Race Walk in Ancona (© Lorenzo Sampaolo)
At last weekend’s Italian Indoor Championships (17 / 18 Feb) in Ancona, Italy, reigning Olympic 20km Race Walk champion Ivano Bugnetti set an Italian record in the indoor 5km with 18:08.86 after walking at a World record pace until the third kilometre. The current record was set by Russian Michail Schemnikov who walked 18:07:08 in Moscow in 1995.
"I felt I was in good form but I did not expect to walk at a world record pace for most of the race. This year I am extra motivated because in three weeks I will become father of my first daughter Vittoria," said Brugnetti, who will compete in the Chinese leg of the IAAF Walking Challenge on 24 March.
European women’s 20km Race Walking bronze medallist Elisa Rigaudo won the 3km race in 12:14.72. The event was her first competitive outing after a good training spell in Ecuador.
"I did not prepare for this race. My training in Ecuador went very well. There I was hosted by Jefferson Perez. I worked on building up my mileage. Now I need to focus on quality before my debut in the IAAF Challenge," said Rigaudo.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF