PARIS: Ecuador’s Brian Pintado dedicated the first Olympic athletics gold medal of the Paris Games to his loved ones back home after powering to victory in the men’s 20km walk on Thursday. The 29-year-old’s beloved family may not have been present in Paris as he strolled to victory in 1hr 18min 55sec but he wore a "necklace of my son running beside me” and "a scarf that my grandmother gave me.”
Brazil’s Caio Bonfim improved on his fourth from Rio in 2016 taking silver with Spain’s world champion Alvaro Martin taking the bronze. It was Ecuador’s second Olympic title in the event after Jefferson Perez’s gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games, and only the South American country’s fourth ever gold.
Pintado clutched a family photograph as as he crossed the line before being connected to loved ones via a live link. "It has been tough to be away from my family, my wife, my kids, for four months and just seeing them through a screen,” said Pintado.
"But they were with me throughout the race. I have a picture of them with me.” Pintado quipped that he hoped his gold medal would earn him a house from Ecuador’s government. "I want my country to give me a house for my children and I don’t want anything more,” he said.
The race was delayed half an hour due to a thunderstorm but once they started at Trocadero, Bonfim took off as if he wanted to make up for the lost time. The 33-year-old and his rivals may not have had the time to take it in but for spectators and viewers the race was a splendid spectacle as they did 20 laps, along the banks of the Seine and passing by the Eiffel Tower as well as Trocadero.
He was gradually reeled in but stayed amongst the leaders and was ahead at the halfway mark. He only held a slight advantage and the lead began to change on a regular basis with China’s Zhang Jun, defending champion Massimo Stano from Italy and Martin all leading at times.
With under six kilometres to go, a group of 10 broke from the pack and spreadeagled the field. Stano led at the 16km mark but he too incurred the wrath of the judges and received a warning. The irrepressible Bonfim, however, then injected some pace and split the leading pack.
Just three were able to go with him, Stano, Martin and Pintado. However, on the penultimate lap Stano’s dreams of making history in becoming the first Olympic champion to successfully defend his title evaporated as Pintado moved up a gear.
From then on he ruthlessly dispensed with Bonfim and Martin, who had nothing left in the tank, with Stano finishing fourth. – AFP