Kimberly Garcia in action in Dudince (© Pavol Uhrin)
The second Korzeniowski Warsaw Race Walking Cup on Sunday (23) – the next Gold stop on the World Athletics Race Walking Tour – offers a great chance for Kimberley Garcia to show Polish fans just how good she is.
The double world champion from Oregon made clear that 2022 was no flash in the pan with a pending 2:37:44 world record at 35km just a month ago in Dudince.
In effect, the race walking world is currently the Peruvian’s oyster, so it would be considered very much an off day from Garcia if she doesn’t break the 20km tape at the PGE Stadion Narodowy.
That said, the 29-year-old might not have it all her own way if Katarzyna Zdziebło responds to the expected huge wave of support on home turf.
Second to Garcia in Oregon in both races, and with a silver at the European Championships, plus bronze at the World Race Walking Team Championships, Zdziebło has developed that vital component needed for all major championships: consistency.
She is also a shoo-in for the Polish Championships held in conjunction with this race; her nearest compatriot is more than three minutes in arrears on personal bests.
Chasing both around the circular one-kilometre loop should be Saskia Feige, providing the German has recovered from a terrific 1:28:28 in Erfurt just last Saturday (15 April).
It was a personal best by almost a full minute for the 25-year-old, who has revelled in the event since converting from a brief spell as a middle-distance runner during her teenage years.
The best of the rest, like Garcia, also come from South America.
Magaly Bonilla has a chance to move up the world rankings from her current fourth place. Following three decent 2023 showings in Australia, including 1:33:48 in Melbourne, and 2:46:32 in Dudince for third, the Ecuadorian is likely to race in tandem with teammate Johana Ordóñez, who clocked a PB of 1:29:58 in Poděbrady last year.
Erica de Sena may be almost 38, but clocked an encouraging 2:47:59 for 35km in the same Dudince race that Garcia produced an outstanding result.
Bolivia has a sole entry in Angela Castro. It’s been seven years since she set her 20km PB, 1:30:33 in Rome, but she does have a season’s best of 1:33:58 clocked in Ecuador at the end of February.
The men’s 20km should also have something of a South American spearhead.
Brazil’s Caio Bonfim started the year with 1:21:55 on home soil at the beginning of last month, but quickly recovered to clock 2:27:30 for 35km in Dudince and second place, barely three weeks later.
The 2017 world bronze medallist should find Brian Pintado treading on his heels around Poland’s national stadium. The Ecuadorian has just a modest 2:40:39 35km clocking to his 2023 credit, but his 1:19:34 personal best at the shorter distance for fifth place at last year’s World Championships was an eye opener.
Garcia won’t be the only Peruvian on a start line in Warsaw. Teammate César Augusto Rodríguez posted a great top-10 finish at last year’s World Championships, and prior to that a national record of 1:20:45 in La Coruna.
One place ahead of him in Oregon was Alberto Amezcua from Spain, who has two unwelcome DNFs this year but also possesses a 1:19:46 PB from the 2017 World Championships. Ever and Isaac Palma, meanwhile, lead the charge for Mexico.
De Sena’s husband, Andres Chocho, also toes the line fresh off his 2:39:26 for 35km in Dudince.
Christopher Linke finds himself in the same boat as Feige. He too competed in last Saturday's German Championships in Erfurt with 1:21:00, but does boast a 1:18:42 PB and German record from 2019, not to mention his European silver medal at 35km from last year in Munich.
Meanwhile, Olympic 50km champion Dawid Tomala should have Łukasz Niedziałek for company as they fight for domestic honours.
Race walking fans of a certain age know the name Weigel like their own. As an East German, Ronald Weigel won two Olympic silvers and a bronze, as well as the inaugural World Championships 50km gold in 1983, and a silver four years later.
Now, son Frederick dips his toe into the 20km for the first time. The junior, who will turn 18 on 8 May, won the European U18 10,000m title last year, and he recently reduced his 10km PB to 42:44 in Erfurt.
If he has the same staying power as his dad, this will be the first of many times the name Weigel will again appear on a result sheet at a major event.
Paul Warburton for World Athletics
