Podebrady WALKING 2013 promise eminent athletic experience performed by elite racers
Press Release of the Czech Athletic Federation,David Snajdr, 8/4/2013
Start list of the European Athletics Permit Meeting including national championships in Poděbrady (April 13, 2013) shows 160 racers from 20 countries worldwide shortly prior deadline of the 81st Meeting annual. Eight national teams of CZE, UKR, HUN, SVK, SUI, SWE, LTU and ITA will fight for ranking in an International team competition of men, women and/ or juniors with two best per team scoring.
Organisers succeeded to ensure four men of TOP 50 ranking 2012: Matej TOTH (SVK), Giorgio RUBINO (ITA), Eric TYSSE (NOR) and Christopher LINKE (GER) as well as four women: Laura REYNOLDS (IRL), Federica FERRARO, Elisa RIGAUDO and Eleonora GIORGI (all ITA).
Also Eider AREVALO of Columbia, World Cup Junior winner from Saransk 2012 and London Olympics partcipant confirmed his start in Podebrady.
Altogether with further London Olympians: Tadas SUSKEVICUS (LTU), Jarkko KINNUNEN (FIN), Monica EQUIHUA (MEX), Lucie PELANTOVA (CZE), Maria CZAKOVA and Anton KUCMIN (both SVK).
At this moment 15 participants from London Olympics 2012 confirmed their engagement in Podebrady this year.
Furthermore organisers consider racing of some other elite walkers such as Matteo GIUPPONI and Jean-Jacques NKOULOUKIDI (both ITA), Mate HELEBRANDT of Hungary as well as the Germans Nils GLODER and Hagen POHLE led by legendary walker and recently national coach Ronald Weigel.
National champions Lucie PELANTOVA, holder of MQS for IAAF Moscow 2013, and Karel KETNER will do their best to defend titles from the last year. However Lukas GDULA (1:26:10 hrs.), recently 50km national champion, will most probably strive for confirming his dominant position in national ranking.
Anezka DRAHOTOVA (18), new czech „star“ finnishing in the second national record ever (1:30:54 hrs.) in Lugano 2013 will appear on start line of junior 10km race only.
It is evident, that reconstruted 1000m circuit with new asphalt surface atracts quality racing pool that will offer eminent athletic performace as having been promised by organisers since last year
Meeting programme on Saturday April 13 will begin with 5km of the Youths and Masters at 12:15 pm, followed by Junior male and female 10km races after 1 pm. The Programme will culminate with international 20km women race starting at 2:45 pm and 20km men race at 3:30 pm respectively. Victory Ceremony is scheduled for 5 pm at finnish area.
Various benefits will the racers fight for in Podebrady this year: besides national champion titles there are also MQS for IAAF and or EA MQS, scoring for national teams in international team event but also for team national league. The meeting is newly classified as IAAF Challenge „C“.
Organisers plan on applying for hosting of European Cup in 2017 or 2019.
The up-coming 81st annual of Podebrady Walking 2013 will show its capacity to continue legacy of 1997 World Cup.
David Snajdr