2007 in review: Men’s Road and Walks

The end of the year is traditionally a period to spend time with friends and family and reflect on the ups and downs of the year that has passed. So as we enter 2008, European Athletics invites you to spend some time with your athletic family, reflecting on what has been a successful year for our sport in Europe.

The next discipline in our '2007 in review' series, proves that Europe's men have what it takes to go the distance. Apparently the best things come to those who wait, well 2007 was certainly an exciting year in the male endurance events…

Marathon

Europe's male Marathon star of 2007 is undoubtedly Switzerland's Viktor Röthlin. The 33-year-old started his season with an impressive personal best time of 2:08.20 to win the Zürich Marathon in April and smash his own 2:09:56 Swiss record (2004), then in the harsh conditions at the World Championships in Osaka, Röthlin pulled off a surprise bronze medal beating many of the expected race favourites.

The experienced Swiss runner's career has been a lesson in endurance, building slowly from his first Marathon in 1999, then his first Major Championship Marathon at the 2000 Olympics. He finished 16th at the 2002 European Championships, 14th at the 2003 World Championships before going under 2:10 for the first time in 2004.

In the hot Osaka weather, other Europeans still managed to run well where many African and Asian favourites were fading. 2002 European Champion Janne Holmen (FIN) was the 2nd best European with his 9th place finish, and Jose Manuel Martinez (ESP) and Dan Robinson (GBR) finished 10th and 11th respectively.

Other fast times during the season included the European leading 2:07:33 by Oleksandr Kuzin (UKR) in Linz, and Kamiel Maase's (NED) Dutch record of 2:08:21 in Amsterdam. Maase is now the proud holder of the all the Dutch Distance Running National Records (5,000m – 13:13.06, 10,000m – 27:26.29 and Marathon – 2:08:31).

20km Walk

It was a record breaking season for the men's 20km Walk, but the World Championship success was down to the most decorated Walker in Europe at the moment, Francisco Javier Fernández of Spain.

The 2002 & 2006 European Champion, has a long list of silvers from both the World Championships and the Olympics and the Osaka 20km walk did not brighten his medal colour. In Athens 2004 the Spaniard finished second to the surprise winner Ivano Brugnetti (ITA) and in the last three World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007 he won silver with Jefferson Perez (ECU) winning every time. But Fernandez shouldn't be disappointed with his latest silver medal because it completes a unique series of medals since he won the 1996 World Junior Championships 10,000m gold in Sydney.

A win at the 2002 European Championships started a medal straight which still remains uninterrupted.

The European Cup 50km winner Vladimir Kanaykin (RUS) also held the fastest time in the World over the 20km distance before Osaka with his 1:17.36 winning time at the Russian Championships in June. Unfortunately for him, Kanaykin decided to compete in the 50km Walk in Osaka, and with the difficult weather conditions failed to finish the race. However, the Russian achieved something special at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final in Saransk, Russia, in September. Kanaykin smashed the World Record previously held by Jefferson Perez (1:17.21 in 2003) winning in 1:17.16 and taking the record back to Europe. Francisco Javier Fernandez had held the record before Perez at 1:17.22 (in Turku 2002) which also was the standing European record.

50km Walk

In the 50km the season started with Alex Schwazer (ITA), the bronze medallist of the 2005 World Championships, almost breaking the World Record with his 3:36.04 victory at the Italian Championships in February. Vladimir Kanaykin won the European Cup in a fast 3:40:57 followed by Trond Nymark (NOR), who took the fourth place at the 2006 European Championships, in 3:41.31 followed by other Russians Oleg Kistkin, Aleksey Voyevodin and Yuriy Andronov.

Furthermore Denis Nizhegorodov (RUS), the silver medallist at the 2004 Olympics, impressed with a 3:40:53 win at the Russian Championships in June. The 2006 European 50km Walk Champion Yohann Diniz, prepared for Osaka by competing only in 5,000m and 20km competitions setting a fast 1:18:58 French record with his European Cup win in Leamington. The Frenchman just fell short of winning the World Championships and finished in 3:44:22 to take the silver behind Nathan Deakas (AUS).

Italian Schwazer, who is coached by the legendary Sandro Damilano, had another successful race taking his second successive bronze medal at World Championships, but Russian walkers were surprisingly off form in Osaka. Nizhegorodov was fourth, but lost the medal by more than two minutes with Voyevodin, Kanaykin and the reigning champion Sergey Kirdyapkin not being able to finish the race.

Notable Statistics

Marathon
New entries for the European alltime list
11th place 2:07:33 Oleksandr Kuzin UKR

20km Walk
New entries for the European alltime list
1st 1:17:16 Vladimir Kanaykin RUS

50km Walk
New entries for the European alltime list
3rd 3:36:04 Alex Schwazer ITA

Source/Courtesy
European Athletics (EAA)
https://www.european-athletics.org/
EAA