Stano follows Olympic 20-kilometer gold medal by producing late surge to edge Kawano and achieve national record in inaugural 35-kilometer final, becoming first World race walk champion for Italy since 1999; Sweden’s Karlstrom only male athlete to earn medals in both finals with second bronze

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Massimo Stano had already denied Japanese competitors a gold medal on home soil at the Tokyo Olympics, so the Italian athlete decided to deliver another late surge in order to repeat the feat Sunday in the inaugural men’s 35-kilometer race walk final at the World Athletics Championships.

Stano, the reigning Olympic 20-kilometer gold medalist, created just enough separation from Japan’s Masatora Kawano during the last 1-kilometer loop to grab the Italian flag along the final stretch of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., and celebrate a victory and national record in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 14 seconds in Eugene, Ore.

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“I can’t believe it, even if I won the Olympic gold,” Stano said. “In theory, it would be easy to understand what happened today, but it is not. I am happy to win gold in a different distance and show that I can compete in other distances.”

Stano, 30, eclipsed the 2010 Italian record of 2:26:16 produced by Alex Schwazer, a World Championships bronze medalist in 2005 and 2007 in the 50-kilometer race walk.

He also secured the first World title for Italy since Ivano Brugnetti captured gold in the 50-kilometer race walk in 1999 in Spain. Michele Didoni also won the men’s 20-kilometer title for Italy in 1995, along with Maurizio Damilano in 1987 and 1991.

Kawano was second in 2:23:15 and Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom, also the bronze medalist July 15 in the 20-kilometer final, took third again in 2:23.44. Kawano improved his Asian record from April by more than three minutes and Karlstrom lowered his Swedish all-time mark from December by more than eight minutes.

“Kawano did a great race,” Stano said. “I had to change pace a few times to win today. He really tired me. You would think being Olympic champion, you could take this win for granted. But it is not.”

Kawano, who finished sixth in Tokyo in the 50-kilometer event, previously earned a silver medal at the 20-kilometer distance at the 2019 World University Games, held in Italy.

“I am very happy and thankful to my coach,” Kawano said. “I had anemia six months ago, but my coach helped me recover.”

Stano remained patient despite early leader Daisuke Matsunaga of Japan building a 63-second advantage at the 13-kilometer mark.

A group of nine athletes eventually passed Matsunaga by the 22-kilometer mark, with the Japanese athlete struggling late in the race as a result of his ambitious early pace and finishing 26th in 2:33:56.

With five kilometers remaining, there was no separation involving Ecuador’s Brian Daniel Pintado, China’s Xianghong He and the three medalists, all coming through the 30-kilometer split at 2:03:24.

He quickly fell off the pace and finished fifth in a Chinese all-time mark 2:24:45, with Pintado remaining in contention until the 33-kilometer split, before placing fourth in a South American record 2:24:37.

Although Karlstrom trailed by only two seconds entering the final loops, he was unable to produce another surge and watched the rest of the way as Stano and Kawano battled for the top spot. The 32-year-old Swedish standout crossed the finish line wearing a Viking helmet.

It marked the third career World Championships medal for Karlstrom, including bronze in the 20-kilometer final in 2019 in Doha.

“It was really tough today to recharge from the 20km,” Karlstrom said. “The 20km was the toughest I’ve ever done. I was not as nervous for this race. I never felt great and tried to stay in contention in the last 10km.”

Karlstrom was the only male athlete to medal in both the 20-kilometer and 35-kilometer finals, after Peru’s Kimberly Garcia Leon, Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo and China’s Shijie Qieyang swept the podium in the two women’s championship races.

Evan Dunfee of Canada achieved a North American record by securing sixth in 2:25:02, with Nick Christie the only finisher for the United States in 36th in 2:41:08.

After Italy swept the Olympic 20-kilometer titles in Tokyo, with Antonella Palmisano winning the women’s gold medal, only Stano achieved victory in Oregon, as his teammate was unable to compete.

But Palmisano’s advice to Stano ahead of the championship race proved instrumental in his victory.

“I am happy to win gold for the national team on the last day of the championships, as many expected. I am happy to meet the expectations,” Stano said. “I am very happy for this win and I want to dedicate it to my wife, my daughter and also to Antonella. She couldn’t compete here, but I am sure she could have confirmed her victory. She will be back more hungry. Her words yesterday helped me a lot, as well as those from my teammates and my wife. Today, we can continue to write history.”