L’Italy achieved an extraordinary double in the 20 km race walk at the European Athletics Championships in Rome which today celebrated their inaugural day. Antonella Palmisano and Valentina Trapletti they win gold and silver in the women’s walking race with a race that takes place along the picturesque avenues of the Foro Italico.
Palmisano strong from the start
Antonella Palmisano he wants to immediately try to make everyone understand his intentions and from the start the Italian starts off strong. She doesn’t want to waste time and immediately sets the pace in front, immediately creating a small group at the head of the race and with her there is also Valentina Trapletti. The escape attempt arrives at 10 km when Palmisano’s progression seems to be able to wear down the resistance of her opponents.
It is the decisive attack for the Italian who from the first meters manages to put a gap between herself and her opponents who are unable to follow her pace. The Italian never looks at her balls and continues her technically perfect march. While in the group of pursuers Trapletti continues to do very well and puts himself in the game for the podium with an attack 2 km from the finish.
The incredible trick of the Spanish Garcia-Caro
On the third step of the podium goes theUkraine Olyanovska which beats in the last centimeter the Spanish Garcia-Caro. For the Iberian race walker arriving at the Olimpico with a flag on her shoulders it’s a joke, 10 meters from the finish line she is in fact sure of the podium and the bronze medal; she begins to celebrate and doesn’t notice the Ukrainian overtaking her right on the finish line.
The joy of Palmisano and Trapletti
Valentina Trapletti struggles to contain her joy after a surprise silver: “I’m in disbelief and super happy, I didn’t expect such a great result. I have to thank the public so much who was there from the first to the last kilometre. It was a space race and then Rome is magical and the route around the Stadio dei Marmi was incredible. I have to thank everyone who supported us”.
She was expected the day before and Antonella Palmisano did not disappoint expectations: “It was what we wanted to do, yesterday I had a smile and I still have it today – he says to the microphones of Rai Sport – I’m happy with the route, this year I enjoyed it every day from March onwards. I found the pleasure of training to the point of experiencing this emotion today, my husband. I thank all my team who encouraged me every day”.
Fabbri in the shot put final
It was supposed to be a formality and so it was Leonardo Fabbri who on his first attempt in the shot put achieved the measure that was worth qualifying for the final with a throw in total fluency from over 21 metres. For the Tuscan there was no emotion in a race that sees him as one of the big favorites for the final victory. “Today I’m not happy, I wanted to score 22 on the first try as if we were in Paris. I’m sorry, maybe I took it a little too lightly – says Fabbri – I thought about the race too much compared to other times but the race is tomorrow. Today the only thing that mattered was going beyond that yellow line and for the first time I succeeded in my career. I’m happy but I did a terrible warm-up. See you tomorrow“.
