Olympics: Italy's Massimo Stano wins 20km race walk with late surge
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Gold medallist Massimo Stano celebrates at the Sapporo Odori Park, on Aug 5, 2021.
PHOTO: AFP
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SAPPORO (REUTERS) - Italy's Massimo Stano won the Olympic men's 20km race walk on Thursday (Aug 5), pulling ahead of the pack in the final stages to finish in 1hr 21min 5sec and claim his country's third gold medal in the event.
Japan's Koki Ikeda, who finished nine seconds behind Stano, secured the silver medal and compatriot Toshikazu Yamanishi (1:21.28) claimed bronze, the first Olympic medals for Japan in the 20km race walk.
World champion Yamanishi led in the early going until China's Wang Kaihua took over through the 12km mark.
Stano moved to the front at the 16km stage, just ahead of Ikeda and Yamanishi, until he put distance between himself and his Japanese rivals.
