Russia’s Valeriy Borchin retains grip on 20-K racewalk World title
DAEGU, South Korea (AP) – Olympic champion Valeriy Borchin won the 20-kilometer walk Sunday at the world championships, beating Russian teammate Vladimir Kanaykin by 31 seconds.
The defending world champion took the lead at the 14-kilometer mark and won the race in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 56 seconds. The 25-year-old Borchin, who in 2008 became the youngest Olympic 20-kilometer walk champion, broke away from the pack at the 15-kilometer mark and never was seriously challenged.
“When I first won in 2008, I wasnt very well known and wasnt a favorite,” Borchin said. “After winning the worlds in 2009, I was under scrutiny and everyone wanted to beat me. So that was tough for me. It wasnt an easy year because of injuries but I was happy in this special situation to win again.”
Kanaykin took silver in 1:20:27, and Luis Fernando Lopez was third in 1:20:38 to win Colombias first world championship medal in athletics.
Wang Zhen of China, who had set the worlds fastest time this year, finished fourth.
Yusuke Suzuki set the pace early when he and Giorgio Rubino broke away from the pack. But neither could hold the lead in humid conditions, with Rubino dropping out at the 11-kilometer mark – tossing his water bottle in frustration. Suzuki held onto third until the 18-kilometer mark, when he, too, faded to finish eighth.
Kanaykin said the Russian strategy was to hold back until the 10-kilometer mark and let other competitors set the pace, confident that neither Suzuki nor Rubino would be able to hold the lead.
Borchin and Wang eased past Suzuki to make it a two-man race. But Borchin surged and Wang couldnt hold onto second, dropping back in the final kilometer to allow Kanaykin and Lopez to pass him.
“I was feeling big emotions during the race and the will of the Chinese walker,” Borchin said. “After 15 kilometers, I was just going into my finish speed and not thinking about anything. I was not looking at anyone, just running my race. It ended well.”
Soon after crossing the finish line, Borchin and Kanaykin embraced. It was a sweet 1-2 for the pair who have struggled to overcome adversity in the past, with Borchin serving a one-year suspension for doping that ended May 31, 2006, and Kanaykin serving a two-year ban from 2008.
“It was tough mentally to return to the sport,” said Kanaykin, who is close friends with Borchin. “It means a lot for us and Russia to be one and two in the world.”
Lopez came in a surprise third, racing to a season best in of his top times at an international event. The Colombian national record holder finished fifth two years ago at the worlds and said the win was like “winning an Olympic gold.”
“I started training with one goal in mind to win the gold, but the person next to me was very strong and very well prepared,” Lopez said of Borchin.
Lopez, a policeman in Colombia, said the medal showed the athletic potential of his Latin American nation, adding that he was simply following in the footsteps of past champions that have done well in weightlifting and cycling.
“This medal shows that Colombia can dream of becoming a better country,” Lopez said.
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