Perez cruise to solid wins in Sesto San Giovanni – IAAF Race Walking Challenge 
ITALY, 02/05/2008. Reigning World champion Jefferson Perez from Equador and 2000 Olympic silver medallist Kjersti Plätzer clinched solid wins at the 51st edition of the Coppa Cittŕ di Sesto San Giovanni - IAAF Race Walking Challenge - on a very warm day.
Perez from the gun - men’s race
Perez, former Olympic champion in Atlanta 1996 and a three-time World champion in the 20 km race, beat local hero Ivano Brugnetti from Italy, who is the reigning 20 km Olympic champion. Perez clocked his seasonal best (1:20:31 to Brugnetti’s 1:20:51). Last year’s winner Erik Tysse finished third in 1:21:40.
Perez took the early lead during the first of three initial laps of the Pino Dordoni track and never gave up this position. The south-american walking star was followed by a chasing duo formed by Ivano Brugnetti and Eric Tysse.
Perez covered the first 5 km in 20:29 building a gap of 10 seconds over Brugnetti and Tysse. Thanks to a 2 km split between 5 and 7 km covered in 8:04 Brugnetti and Tysse closed the gap on Perez. This trio remained in the lead until 9 km.
Perez and Brugnetti went to the front on the fifth lap, dropping Tysse. Perez increased the pace, covering the 3 km split between 12 and 15 km in 11:41, to Brugnetti’s 11:55. Perez, who was pushed by the loud support of his compatriots along the course, passed the 15 km mark in 1:00:30 (with a 5 km split in 19:45) breaking away from Brugnetti and increasing his lead to15 seconds.
Perez clocked a final 5 km split between 15 and 20 km in 20:00 to finish in 1:20:31, twenty seconds ahead of Brugnetti.
After crossing the finish line Perez celebrated his well-deserved win with a big group of fans from the Equadoran community living in Italy.
“It is a big surprise to find so many compatriots,” Perez said. “I felt at home. It’s the first time I won in Sesto San Giovanni. I am happy with my final time of 1:20:31 because today it was too warm.”
For Brugnetti it was a confidence-booster ahead of the upcoming IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary where he will not face Perez, who will skip the Russian race in order to focus on the Olympic Games.
“I equalled my best performance here in Sesto San Giovanni,” said Brugnetti, who will become father for the second time at the end of June. “I finished second in 2004 behind my friend Alessandro Gandellini in the year of my Olympic gold medal in Athens. I expected such a race from Perez because I know that he will not compete in the World Cup. For me the Sesto race in my town is very special. It’s like the Olympic Games. I will not aim at a particular result. I will take what comes.”
“Ivano made one of his best races in his career,” said Brugnetti’s coach Antonio La Torre. “He walked well between 15 and 17 km and clocked the final km in 4:01.”
Source: IAAF
|
