Italy promises a campaign on all fronts

Since the inaugural edition in 1961, Italy’s men have shown their mettle by winning the "Lugano Trophy" (based on the combined score of both races) in 1981 and 1991 and finishing in the Top 3 on another nine occasions. A record unsurpassed by sporting giants like the former GDR and USSR. But Italy’s women have not been idle and since the creation of the "Eschborn Cup" in 1979 they have secured a win in 1993, two second places in 1991 and 1995 and a third place in 1989.

Italy’s great tradition in this speciality date backs to the beginning of this century and the likes of Fernando Altimani and Ugo Frigerio. The latter won an Olympic gold medal in the Antwerp Games , the first ever won by an Italian athlete. Altimani and Frigerio, both slender and elegant in style, laid the foundations for the Italian walking "school" of the inter-war years which developed great athletes like Armando Valente, Attilio Calegari and Donato Pavesi. In more recent times two Italians upheld the glorious tradition, Pino Dordoni and Abdon Pamich, as much for the correctness of their style as for their successes. Dordoni was crowned Olympic Champion in Helsinki 1952, Pamich in Tokyo in 1964, both over the gruelling distance of 50 km. Pamich gave Italy its only individual success in the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Lugano in 1961 in front of his bitterest rival, Britain’s Don Thompson, himself an Olympic champion in Rome in 1960.

Italy will be hoping for revenge In Podebrady. Michele Didoni, who was crowned a youthful World Champion at 20km in Goteborg just two years ago, was disappointed in the last Olympic Games in Atlanta. Didoni has youth (he is 23 now), talent and tradition on his side: just like Altimani, Frigerio, Valente and Pavesi, Didoni was born and raised in Milan. And in this city, the uncrowned financial capital of Italy, Didoni is training hard in the company of Giovanni Perricelli, silver medallist at 50 km in Goteborg, and under the shrewd eye of coach Pietro Pastorini. Also well-prepared to battle over this distance is Arturo Di Mezza who was fourth at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

In Italy there is equality of the sexes … in the walk. Elisabetta Perrone, 29, is hungry for gold after two silver medals in 1995 at the World Championships and last year in the Olympic Games. But another Italian, also 29, Erika Alfridi is the hot walker of the season after an impressive performance over 5km at the Azteca Cup held in Mexico City recently. The Italian women, who include Rossella Giordano, Annarita Sidoti and Cristiana Pellino, have an excellent chance of winning the team competition although China and Russia will post a stiff challenge.

News

Italy is sending a formidable squad, equally balanced in the men’s 50km and 20km and women’s 10km, to Podebrady for the 18^th edition of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup on April 19-20.