Christopher Linke has reached a place in Tokyo in the 20 kilometers at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The Spaniard Maria Pérez repeated her double success in Budapest for women.
In a race, which was exciting to the end, the 36-year-old left could not quite crown his catch-up: Instead of the hoped-for top 8 placement, which is relevant for financial sports funding, it became tenth for the Potsdam in 1:20:11 hours.
Left: “I’m satisfied”
“I am satisfied because I could give everything I still had in the tank. I showed that I was one of the top 10”said Linke in the sports show interview.
He had had to pay tribute to the extreme weather conditions over 35 kilometers on the first World Cup weekend and had finished the finish line as 14th. At the World Cup two years ago in Budapest, left was twice fifth.
Köpp: “Didn’t know that I can do so much”
The second German in the race, Leo Köpp, also delivered a strong race in 1:20:35 hours. The 27-year-old himself surprised that he was able to overtake three competitors on the last kilometer: “It was a very challenging race. I knew that I could do a lot in the final sprint. But I didn’t know that I could do so much.”
Brazilian Caio Bonfim fetches gold
The Brazilian Caio Bonfim became world champion, who won the race in 1:18:35 hours just ahead of Zhaozhao Wang from China (1:18:43) and Spaniard Paul McGrath (1:18:45).
Not to stop Maria Pérez
In the race of women, the 29-year-old Maria Pérez pushed to the pace with other top course near the nation stadium with other top gaps in the Japanese capital. So the field of a total of 49 participants quickly spread.
The joy of Maria Perez about the double victory was huge.
After about ten kilometers, Pérez and six other walkers managed to break away from the rest of the field. Among them was Paris Olympic champion Jiayu Yang from China and the Ecuadorian Paula Milena Torres, who had won over 35 kilometers in Tokyo World Cup bronze. The Italian Antonella Palmisano, 2021 Olympic champion in Tokyo and decorated with silver over 35 kilometers at the current World Cup.
Japan cheered on bronze for Fuji
Pérez started the decisive attack about four kilometers before the finish line, settled in the top group from the remaining three other walkers. For example, Pérez went to the final round in the nation stadium as the leading round and ended up celebrating a safe victory in 1:25:54 hours.
The Mexican Alegna González (1:26:06) secured second place, bronze won with great cheering the spectators with a wafer -thin lead Nanako Fujii from Japan in State record period (1:26:18). German walkers did not take part.