The World Athletics Race Walking Tour lands in St Anne’s Park in Dublin on Sunday morning with an Olympic Gold medallist from Tokyo and silver medallist from Paris in the international line up.
The 20km race alone has attracted a world class field with athletes from Algeria, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Finland, Finland, Great Britain including former World U20 Champion Callum Wilkinson who is coached by Olympic medalist Rob Heffernan, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and the USA.
They will be joined by top class Irish opposition led by debutante Oisin Lane (Mullingar Harriers) who represented Ireland at the European Championships in Rome last summer and Joe Mooney (Adamstown) both of whom will be chasing qualification for the European Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady, Czechia next May.
Tokyo 2020 Olympian David Kenny (pictured above) has put his injury problems behind him and will be looking to lay down a marker for the year ahead with a strong showing over 20km.
In the women’s 35km, the home challenge will be spearheaded by 2011 World Youth Champion Kate Veale (West Waterford) but she will face stern competition from athletes who have travelled from afar including Brazil, Ecuador, Hungary, India, Italy, a trio from Mexico and South Africa.
With a total prize pot for the Tour of north of $200,000, the fields boast a number of major championship medalists led by Tokyo 2020 Olympic 20km Race Walk Champion Massimo Stano from Italy who will have stiff competition from Paris 2024 silver medalist Caio Bonfim from Brazil over the 35 km distance.
If Bonfim finishes in the top three, he will win the overall Tour prize pot of $25,000.
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
With the Adidas deal signed yesterday and now a World Tour event in the weekend December has been a strong finish for Athletics Ireland on the world stage.
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Action is set for a 10.55am start with over 250 entries from 30 countries
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