Robert Korzeniowski in action in the 50km walk (© Getty Images)
MonteCarloThe three Race Walksmen’s and women’s 20km and men’s 50km - which were part of the Athletics Competitions of the Games of XXVIII Olympiad of the modern era in Athens, brought to a close the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge 2004, with overall victories for Robert Korzeniowski of Poland and Italy’s Elisa Rigaudo, who each netted US$30,000.
Final positions were based on the best total of points achieved by an athlete in any three of the Challenge competitions, with 10 points scored for a win, nine for second, eight for third, and so on, down to 10th position.
Prize money is awarded to the Top 8 men and women with US$20,000 for second, US$15,000 for third, US$10,000 - 4th; US$8000 - 5th; US$7000 - 6th; US$6000 - 7th; US$5000 - 8th.
Rigaudo, who was fifth in the Olympic women’s 20km Race Walk, a race which was surprisingly won by Greece’s Athanasia Tsoumeleka, already had to her credit three wins (30pts) in the 2004 Challenge races in Tijuana, Rio Maior and Sesto San Giovanni.
Claudia Stef of Romania (26pts) and Maria Vasco of Spain (24pts) were the second and third best female athletes overall.
In the men’s category, Korzeniowski (28pts), after three second places in the Challenge prior to Athens - all 20km races - crowned both his season and career by retaining his Olympic 50km Race Walk title in Athens. This was the fourth Olympic gold of his career. The Pole also won the inaugural Challenge in 2003.
Jefferson Pérez of Ecuador, the World 20km champion was second overall (27pts – inc. two wins), with Olympic 20km winner Ivano Brugnetti of Italy (27pts – inc. one win), taking third in the final Challenge standings.
IAAF