European Athletics Championships, Fortunato wins bronze in the 20 km race walk

The gold medal went to the Swede Perseus Karlstrom, while the silver went to the Spaniard Paul McGrath

ROME – The Italian Francesco Fortunato won the bronze medal in the 20 km race walk at the European Championships in Rome. The gold medal went to the Swede Perseus Karlstrom, while the silver went to the Spaniard Paul McGrath.

Francesco Fortunato’s bronze in the 20 kilometer walk thus kicked off the second evening of the European Championships in Rome. A new joy for Italy, the fifth medal of the event with the Italian team celebrating third place welcomed by the roar of the Olympic stadium. At the finish line he finished in 1h19:54 behind the Swede Perseus Karlstrom (1h19:13) and the Spaniard Paul McGrath (1h19:31) after having separated the other pursuers of the leading pair around the thirteenth kilometre.
The standard bearer of the Fiamme Gialle rejoices for a desired, sought and finally obtained medal, driven by the cheering of the public on the route of the Foro Italico park. ‘Effe’, a 29-year-old from Puglia from Andria and coached by Riccardo Pisani, who this year won in the relay at the Team World Championships after last year’s individual success at the European Team Championships, is increasingly a protagonist at an international level. Also among the top eight is 24-year-old Riccardo Orsoni, sixth in 1h21:08.

LUCKY: “IT’S TIME TO TRY IT, SO THE BRONZE HAS ARRIVED”

“I couldn’t be outdone by Antonella and Valentina: the bronze was missing, I took it”. Francesco Fortunato jokes like this after the 20 km race walk of the European Athletics Championships in Rome. Then he continues: “It went as I expected, I knew that McGrath and Karlstrom had the edge over me in terms of timing. The public helped me a lot, it’s a first medal in an individual summer championship that I want with all my strength. At the 13th kilometer I said to myself: ‘This is the time to try’, and so it was. I’m very happy, but I also enjoyed doing an extra lap of the track after the finish line.”

(Photo from profile X of @ItaliaTeam)