Updated 11 May 2008

Day Two

Men’s 50km

Twins Daniel and Dominic King both set out to improve on their performances in  Dudince at the end of March, with the Olympic A Standard of 4 hours as the ultimate goal.

Daniel set of with purpose and walked in a large group passing 5 Kilometres in 23.53 in 46^th position, with his brother Dominic King just behind. Daniel passed the 10 Kilometre mark in 47.11 in 42^nd position, well inside the 48u minutes required for sub 4 hours. Dominic was just behind in 47.38 in 47^th.

Yet disaster struck for both athletes as after 20km Daniel picked up his first disqualification card from the judges. Meanwhile Dominic was beginning to slip back from the required pace as he passed the same mark in 1.37.06 (69^th).

Both walkers were suffering by the midway point with Daniel suffering from sickness and receiving a 2^nd card from the judges. Behind him Dominic was beginning to really suffer as he passed 30km in 2.30.33.

Competing well inside the Olympic A standard, Daniel unfortunately received his final disqualification card at the 38km point.

Dominic meanwhile soldered on passing 40km in 3.28.40 (69^th) and maintained his from to come home in 60^th in 4.25.26. At the front, roared on by a home crowd in excess of 30,000 Russian Dennis Nizhegorodov took over a minute and a half off Australian Nathan Deakes’ World Record to record 3.34.14 ahead of compatriot and World 20km Record Holder Vladamir Kanaykin.

Women’s 20 Km 

Jo Jackson made a positive start and went through 5km in 22.58 (35^th). Yet she too succumbed to stomach cramps, which made it very difficult for her to take on fluids.

She gradually slipped back through the field as she passed halfway in 47.28 in 50^th position, and pulled through in the last 5 Kilometres to come home in 45^th in 1.37.56. She was very disappointed with her performance.

Day one

Junior Men’s 10 Kilometres

Ben Wears got the Norwich Union GB team off to a solid start this weekend when he finished 38^th in the Junior Men’s 10 Kilometres at the 23^rd IAAF World Race Walking Cup.

Wears made a positive start, passing 3km in 12.59 in 30^th place. At the front the Russian duo of Strelkov and Bartsaykin lead a group of 6 through halfway in 20.21.

However Wears bright start was threatened when he began to suffer from a major stitch at the 4 km point, and between 4 and 6km lost over a minute, as he passed halfway in 52^nd position in 23.07.

Recovering from his stitch in the second half, he was able to get going again and began to move through the field. He came home in a creditable 38^th place in a Seasons Best of 45.22, as the Russian winner Aleskey Bartsaykin took the title in a new Junior World Record of 39.37. Russia won the team race from China.

Wears said after the race “I am very disappointed as I am in great shape at the moment. The stitch came on after 4km and I could do nothing for 2km. Fortunately I was able to get going again in the last 4km as it wore off”.

The action continues in Russia for GB tomorrow with Daniel King and Dominic King in action in the 50 Kilometres and British Record Holder Jo Jackson tackling the 20 Kilometres.

For more information visit the event website