Italy’s Antonella Palmisano and Japan’s Toshikazu Yamanishi both delivered dominant performances to capture victories at the III GP Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbo Telecom, a 10km World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold event, held in Madrid on Sunday.
Palmisano claimed an overwhelming victory in the women’s race, finishing more than a minute ahead of Ukraine’s Mariia Sakharuk. Japan’s Yamanishi secured the men’s title, finishing 18 seconds ahead of Italy’s Francesco Fortunato, the event’s defending champion.
The women’s race began at a steady pace, with five athletes, including Palmisano, leading the first kilometre. Among the group were Sakharuk, Costa Rica’s Noelia Vargas, and Spain’s Raquel Gonzalez and Laura Garcia-Caro. Palmisano soon picked up the tempo, creating a gap between herself and the rest of the pack. Only Sakharuk, a seasoned 20km competitor, could stay within striking distance.
By the third kilometre, Palmisano and Sakharuk had distanced themselves from the others, with Palmisano leading. Sakharuk struggled to keep up with the Tokyo Olympic champion, eventually falling behind during the fourth lap. At the halfway point, Palmisano had clocked 21:45, with Sakharuk following at 22:08, and Vargas trailing slightly behind.
The podium positions were largely decided, with Gonzalez and Garcia-Caro well behind. However, Garcia-Caro, who placed seventh at the Paris Olympics, was forced to withdraw after a fall around the sixth kilometre.
Slowing her pace slightly in the later stages, Palmisano still extended her lead to finish with a time of 44:02, a full minute ahead of Sakharuk, who finished in 45:03. Vargas claimed third place with a time of 45:17. Colombia’s Sandra Lorena Arenas, who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics, ended up fifth, just behind Gonzalez.
Reflecting on her win, Palmisano said, “This was my last race of the year, and I’m thrilled to end with a victory, especially after the setback I had at the Paris Olympics due to Covid. My focus now is on next season and the World Championships in Tokyo, where I’ll aim to complete the set of major titles.”
In the men’s race, Yamanishi joined a pack of six athletes, including Fortunato, Spain’s Diego Garcia, and Brazil’s Matheus Correa, during the early stages. As the race progressed, the pace quickened, with some competitors falling behind, leaving Yamanishi, Fortunato, and Garcia vying for podium positions.
Yamanishi increased his speed after the halfway mark, pulling away from the group, while Fortunato settled into second place. Garcia held onto third despite pressure from Italy’s Gianluca Picchiottino. Yamanishi crossed the finish line in 40:00, with Fortunato finishing at 40:18, and Garcia securing third place at 40:44.
“The course was challenging with its constant inclines and the windy conditions, but I’m in good form and managed to come away with the win,” Yamanishi remarked. “It’s been a difficult season for me after missing out on defending my Olympic medal, but training at altitude with Massimo Stano has paid off. Now, I’m setting my sights on the World Championships in Tokyo next September, where I hope to claim my third world title.”
Both athletes wrapped up their seasons with impressive wins and now look ahead to the Tokyo World Championships, where they aim to add more accolades to their already stellar careers.
