by Alfonz Juck
Yohan Diniz, photo by PhotoRun.net
Diniz returns with a bang 3:37:43 WL at 50 km
ALYTUS (LTU, May 19): In his first race at the distance since winning the world title in 2017, France’s Yohann Diniz won the 50km race walk at the European Race Walking Cup in Lithuania in a championship record and world-leading time of 3:37:43 ahead of Belarus’ Dmitry Dziubin (3:45:51) with Portugal’s 43-year-old Joao Vieira a surprise third in 3:46:38. Led by reigning champion Ivan Banzeruk in sixth, Ukraine successfully defended their team title. On her debut at the distance, Eleonora Giorgi from Italy won the first edition of the women’s 50km race walk in a European record of 4:04:50 while Spain’s Julia Takacs was also under the old mark in second with 4:05:46 NR. Reigning world and European champion Ines Henriques was a distant third in 4:13:57. With three finishers inside the top eight led by Valentina Myronchuk in fourth in a 4:15:50 PB, Ukraine also won the women’s team title. There was a home win in the women’s 20km race walk for Zivile Vaiciukeviciute in 1:29:48 ahead of Spaniards Laura Garcia-Caro (1:29:55) and Raquel Gonzalez (1:30:17) with Spain also lifting the team title while Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom kept up his unbeaten start to the year with a win in the men’s 20km race walk in a European-leading 1:19:54 from neutral athlete Vasiliy Mizinov (1:20:18) and European silver medallist Diego Garcia (1:20:23). Spain won the team title from Great Britain whose silver medal was their first medal in European Race Walking Cup history. Meryem Bekmez won the women’s U20 10km in 45:37 by more than one minute and also led Turkey to the team title while Italy’s Riccardo Orsoni won the men’s U20 10km in 42:43, also leading Italy to the team win.
Yohan Diniz, photo by PhotoRun.net
