China’s Gadasu Alatan takes the 50km winning tape (© www.conade.gob.mx)
A two week training camp in the high attitude of Mexico City paid off for the Chinese team, as Gadasu Alatan claimed the men’s 50km at the opening leg of the 2006 IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Tlalnepantla de Baz, north of the Mexican capital.
The 22-year-old athlete of Mongolian origin completed the 25-loop course along the Sor Juana Inez de Cruz Avenue in 3:57.53, finishing ahead of Mexico’s Omar Zepeda and Spain’s 1993 World champion Jesús Angel García.
Alatan, who had finished 10th in the 2004 Athens Olympics, stayed in the chase pack behind early leader David Cortés, who took the lead after the first 10 kilometres, but was overtaken at the 28km mark by Gadasu, Ecuador’s Segundo Peñafiel and Mexican Claudio Vargas.
The young Chinese made his move to take the lead shortly before 30km mark.
García, who has participated in the four Mexican legs of the IAAF Challenge - winning the 50km in Tijuana 2003 - suffered some stomach problems and slowed the pace after the 30km mark, but two kilometres later he had recovered enough to joined Peñafiel and Vargas in the chase trio, 44 seconds behind the leader.
In weather conditions of cool temperatures and some wind, Gadasu walked unchallenged at a pace of 4:35 minutes per kilometre and the rest of the field battled for the remaining two podium spots.
However, the Ecuadorian was physically sick around the 38km point of the race, and though he tried to continue, had to drop out three kilometres later. Vargas also faded and was overtaken by the trio of García and Mexicans Omar Zepeda and Horacio Nava.
The Spaniard and Zepeda walked stride by stride until 48km, but the latter found an extra gear and went on to win the silver in 3:58:25, 10 seconds faster than García. Zepeda, 28, was third in Tijuana last year.
“I did not set any strategy. It is difficult to compete in the high altitude. I just walked with the leading pack until I felt strong and broke away”, said Alatan, currently placed 29th in the IAAF World Ranking.
Gadasu Alatan, the 8th fastest man over 50km last year (3:40:23), became the first Chinese to win an event of the Challenge away from home soil. The previous Chinese winners were Yucheng Han and Hongjuan Song in Kunshan, China in May 2004.
On Saturday, Chinese women were close to victory here in Mexico with Jiang Qiuyan, Dan He and Na Shi finishing second, third and fourth, respectively.
“We need to be more united, team work. If we work for each other, we can achieve great things in the 50km. Mexico has produced great walkers and we are able to keep the successful tradition”, said Zepeda, who finished sixth in the 50km with a personal best of 3:49:01 at the World Championships in Helsinki.
Jesús Angel García, the 1993 World Champion and 1997 World Cup gold medallist, completed his first 50km in one year.
“In Spain they call me the grandfather of athletics. I have been nursing a groin injury so I could not arrive well in advance to get used to the high altitude. I hope to perform well at home in the World Cup in La Coruña and win a medal at the European Championships in Gothenburg, in August,” Garcia stated.
Horacio Nava, ninth in the 2005 Helsinki World Champs, was close to the medals, but was happy with his fourth place, considering he started his training late due to a heart surgery.
“This new generation is giving new air to Mexican race walking. We needed a new race walking team”, said the 24-year old athlete from the northern state of Chihuahua.
The top five Mexicans made the team for the IAAF Race Walking World Cup in la Coruña: Omar Zepeda, Horacio Nava, Claudio Vargas, Alvaro García and Juan Toscano.
Mexican Minister of Sports Nelson Vargas Basañez was the special guest of the competition and acted as the official starter.
The 2006 IAAF Race Walking Challenge will continue this Saturday in Rio Maior Portugal, on 1 April, followed by the Race Walking Grand Prix in Yangzhou, China, on 22 April. The fourth leg will be the Coppa Città di Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, on 1 May, before the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in La Coruña, Spain, May 13-14.
Javier Clavelo Robinson and Gustavo Borges for the IAAF
Men’s 50km
1. Gadasu Alatan (China) 3:57:53
2. Omar Zepeda (Mexico) 3:58.25
3. Jesús García Bragado (Spain) 3:58.35
4. Horacio Nava (Mexico) 3:59.57
5. Tianfeng Si (China) 4:00.38
6. Claudio Vargas (Mexico) 4:02.11
7. Alvaro García (Mexico) 4:08.51
8. Juan Toscano (Mexico) 4:10.35
9. Victor Ginko (Belarus) 4:11.15
10. Rogelio Sánchez (México) 4:14.13
DNF: Segundo Peñafiel and Xavier Moreno (Ecuador)
