The 23rd annual of international walking event 'Dudinska patdesiatka' - EAA Race Walking event - held in the south of Slovakia brought three Olympic standards and one new national record.
The main event (50 km) was won by Peter Korcok in new personal best of 3:51:09. He achieved that time in very difficult weather conditions with cold (4 degrees) and rain through the whole race. It was his second win in Dudince. In Slovak all-time lists this means 6th position.
Second placed Milos Batovsky bettered his personal record by a dramatic 11 minutes to 3:54:08. Both athletes secured team berths for Olympic Games.
The third Olympic standard was also a new national record by Zuzana Malikova (only 20 years old) with 1:33:02 at the 20 km distance for women. She bettered the previous national record of Zuzana Blazekova in 2000 by 2:05 min (1:35:07).
"I was alone for two thirds of the race, but that was the situation. I fell my shape is improving and in better weather I think I would be able to walk under 3:50,“ said Korcok, who was 13th last year in Paris.
Results:
Men
50km (National Champs for SVK and HUN):
1. Peter Korcok 3:51:09 PR, 2. Milos Batovsky 3:54:08, 3. Alexandar Rakovic SMG 3:55:40, 4. Zoltan Czukor, HUN 3:57:08, 5. Sergey Melentyev, RUS 3:57:52, 6. Modris Liepins,LAT 3:58:03, 7. Sergey Yerokhin, RUS 3:58:33, 8. Daugvinas Zujus, LIT 3:58:46, next walker over 4:15,
Kazimir Verkin dq (46th km); Marek Janek dnf (38th km), Jacob Sorensen, DEN dq at 45th km also in pace under 4 minutes
42 walkers started, 20 finished
Women
20km (National Champs for SVK):
1. Zuzana Malikova 1:33:02 NR, 2. Maria Galikova 1:40:55, 3. Orsolya Zadori, HUN 1:55:30.
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Men - 20 km (not NC): 1. Matej Toth 1:23:18, 2. Levente Kaperi, HUN 1:27:50, 3. Anton Kucmin 1:33:01
Junior - Men - 10 km: 1. Ingus Janevics, LAT 42:41
Junior - women – 10 km: 1. Dora Nemere, HUN 51:31,
Youth - Boys – 10 km 1. Tibor Marta, HUN 46:07, 2. Peter Grof 47:17
Youth - Girls - 5 km: 1. Klara Malikova 25:30
Masters - 5 km: 1. James Ball, GBR 25:42