Schwazer and Santos win in Sesto San Giovanni – European Athletics (EAA) – News

Italy's 2008 Olympic Games 50km Walk champion Alex Schwazer kept local fans happy at the 53rd Coppa Citta di Sesto San Giovanni walking meeting – part of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge – when he won the 20km race in an excellent 1:20:29 in hot and humid conditions on Saturday.

Schwazer leads the world this year with the Italian record of 1:18.24 that he clocked in March and moved into the lead with a decisive surge six kilometres into the race, the third of 10 laps, and was never headed.

He steadily increased his advantage over Norway's Erik Tysse and by the finish line Schwazer was exactly a minute in front of his nearest rival.

Tysse, the 2007 winner in Sesto San Giovanni, was second in 1:21:29 while France's reigning European 50km Walk champion Yohan Diniz was third in 1:22:44.

"My goal was to win and not to walk a fast time. It is difficult to walk fast times in Sesto but it's a race with a great history. I was unsure about my shape after training hard at altitude. I stayed in the pack at the beginning of the race, then I realized that I was in good shape and I launched my attack, but it was not as easy as it seemed," reflected Schwazer.

Schwazer's next target is the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Chihuahua, Mexico on May 15-16. He will race over 50km there, having finished second in the event at the last edition two years ago.

"My main race is the 50km. I will take a definitive decision about a possible double in Barcelona (at the European Athletics Championships this summer) after my return from Mexico," added Schwazer.

In the women's 20km race there was a win for Portugal's Vera Santos in 1:28:29.

It has been an excellent start to the year for Santos, who has now won three big races in recent months, and the 2003 European Athletics Under 23 Championships 20km gold medallist is unbeaten in her six outings in 2010.

She won last month at the Grande Premio Internacional en Marcha Atletica in Rio Maior, Portugal, the first IAAF Race Walking Challenge meeting of the year, and also at the first European Athletics Walking Meeting of 2010, which took place in the Portuguese town of Olhão on February 21.

Santos established herself in the lead from the halfway point and finished almost a minute in front of Germany's Melanie Seeger who finished second in 1:29:20. Great Britain's Jo Jackson was third in 1:32:05.

"I am still working hard to be in top form for Chihuahua. The World Cup will be held at altitude which may become a negative factor for me. My biggest goal is the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona this summer," confirmed Santos.

Ireland's 2009 World Championships silver medallist Olive Loughnane was disqualified at shortly after 15km while in third place.

European Athletics (EAA) – News