The 22nd edition of Pan American Race Walking Cup was held in Nicaraguan capital Managua in 15-16 April without some big names from the continent, including Peru’s World champion Kimberly Garcia, who’s aiming ‘double defence’ in Budapest this summer.
The walkers have contested on course in dizzy conditions around 30 degrees hot weather, which effected the results negatively. On the first day, Colombian walkers claims a double win over 20K races as they’ve secured top two places in men’s 35K race as well in Sunday.
24-year old Cesar Alberto Herrera of Colombia has walked to his first international victory in 20K distance after a harsh race by clocking 1:24:32, slowest winning time since 2011. He finished the race ten seconds ahead of Mexican rival Jose Louis Doctor, who took first continental level medal. Canadian Olympic and World medallist race walker Evan Dunfee came fifth at this contest no quicker than 1:25:51.
LAURA'S BIG JUMP
On the women’s side, Laura Cristina Chalarca, 23, became first female 20K Pan-Am Cup champion from Colombia. Chalarca progressed her personal best 2 minutes 38 seconds as finishing 1:34:44, nearly one minute clear of Peru’s Mary Luz Andia. What the most interesting outcome of the race was Alejandra Ortega’s back to the scene. Former Pan-Am junior champion has been climbed top of the area rankings in some eight years ago, but has declining in recent seasons. Ortega, fresh with her Dudinska 50K appearance last month, clocked modest 1:36:05 but claimed her first medal in 10 years.
LYRA CELEBRATES TO WIN
The distance of 35 kilometres have staged first time in Pan American Race Walking Cup by replacing 50K as Brazil’s Viviane Lyra and Colombian Jose Leonardo Montana set the standards in the event. Lyra grabbed another Pan-Am medal after her 20K bronze in 2021, has stopped the clock in 2:55:03, roughly 10 minutes slower than personal best.
Jose Leonardo Montana, 31-year old from Bogota, has finally attained first Pan Am Cup title after his three previous podium places in more than a decade span. Montana, two-time Olympian, came home with 17-seconds clear of team-mate Juan Soto, who recently established 2:31:39 personal best in prestigious Dudinska 50K.
The cheering home fans only celebrated a gold medal after men’s junior race in 10 kilometres, where Gabriel Alvarado just came to finish one-second ahead Bryan Matias of Guatemala, as the contest equalling narrowest win in the record after 2009 edition. Meanwhile, Costa Rica’s Sharon Herrera wins women’s 10K race with 47:39 to bring first medal for her country in it’s 40-year history.
