Last day on the track of Ascoli Piceno !

This last day on Ascoli track was marked by a historic moment. Indeed, Guo Dan became the first Senior athlete of the People’s Republic of China to become world champion in inline speed skating! Except that incredible title and the title of Peter Michael on the 1000m, Colombia gathered all the gold medals of the day. How astounding!

Par alfathor
Publié le 11 septembre 2012 - Mis à jour le 2 novembre 2020 - 5851 Lectures - 0 commentaire(s)

Lots of events

First remarkable event of the day: the disqualification of Chechy Baena for the whole championship!

That day was indeed also marked by the disqualification of the whole championship of Colombian star Cecilia Baena after Sunday’s fault on Erika Zanetti on the 500 m. The athlete was appointed by CIC president, Roberto Marotta, who announced her about her sanction, after she had just qualified for the 1000m final at around noon. Baena was devastated by the news. At the end of the afternoon, her sanction was however turned into a mere disqualification of the track championship. In other words, Chechy will be back on the road, more motivated than ever!

Second remarkable event of the day: Colombia grabs (almost) all titles!

Tonight’s finals started with the 500M of the juniors and the 1000M of the seniors, just before the relays that always close the competitions on the track.

Colombia was in great shape tonight, maybe willing to avenge Chechy’s disqualification. Anyway, Colombia started to gather her first gold medal of the day from the very first final, which was the 500M in Junior ladies.

500m Juniors

They were two Colombians (Yesenia Escobar and Magda Garces), one Italian (Carlotta Simbula) and one Chinese Taipei (Ying Jung Kuan). The two Colombians had both a great start allowing them to lead the pack from the beginning of the race. They were so strong that neither the Italian nor the Chinese Taipei, managed to be competitive at any time. Yesenia Escobar easily won the race in 44.58, in front of her compatriot. The Italian who had not really stopped fighting against Chinese Taipei, came 3^rd.

It was almost exactly the same scenario in the men race. They were two Colombians again (Juan Camilo Perez and Andres Campo), one South Korean (Min Su Kim) and one German (Simon Albrecht). The two Colombians led the pack the whole race long. South Korea and Germany kept fighting for the bronze a bit behind the Colombians until the South Korean managed to catch up the Colombians without being able to pass them at any time. Colombia therefore won its second title, thanks to Juan Camilo Perez, and its second silver medal, thanks to Andres Campo, in two races. Min Su Kim finished 3^rd. The race was run in 41.74.

1000m Senior Women

Since Cecilia Baena’s disqualification was announced after the morning’s qualifications and after the Colombians had actually qualified for the final, only seven skaters were on the starting line this Monday night. There were Guo Dan for China, Francesca Lollobrigida and Erika Zanetti for Italy, Cindy Cortez for Venezuela, Kelly Martinez for Colombia, Ho Chen Yang for China Taipei and So Yeong Shin for South Korea. During the first few laps, the ladies kept looking at each other. Italian girls were in the front, closely followed by Colombian skater Kelly Martinez. In the last lap, whereas the girls were fighting a bit, the Chinese, Guo Dan saw a hole in the pack. She decided to speed up so suddenly that none of the other skaters saw her escape from the pack. That was absolutely amazing! Guo Dan therefore crossed the arrival line with a time of 1.33.72, a few meters in front of China Taipei and the local Francesca Lollobrigida.

By winning the gold, Guo Dan achieved an incredible performance, offering China its first world title in the Senior category. Although Guo Dan had already been a medalist in Gijon (2008) and Yeosu (2011), she had never managed to grab the gold. That was a historical moment!

1000 m Senior Men

In the Senior men race, Colombia had the best start. In the first laps of the race, all skaters tried to find the best place in the pack in order to be able to sprint properly in the most appropriate conditions. Although French skater, Alexis Contin, seemed to struggle to reach the front of the pack, he ended up in good position when the judge rang the bell. 100M from the arrival, Alexis Contin was a bit bothered by another skater, entering in the last corner in fourth position and preventing him from fighting with Peter Michael and the Colombian for the victory. Peter Michael grabbed his second title on Ascoli track with a time of 1.23.56 in front of the Colombian, Andres Munoz. Alexis Contin managed to pass Fabio Francolini on the line, getting its first bronze medal of the championship.

Relays: grand slam victory for Colombia!

The relays are always very much appreciated by the audience since the races are always very spectaculars, and Monday’s race were indeed very special.

Junior ladies

The qualified nations were Colombia, Italy, the USA, South Korea, China Taipei and Venezuela. The race started quite slowly. Things were going smoothly until the fall of an American skater who lost her balance when pushing her teammate. It did not however have any consequences for the Americans since the skater had the time to get back on her feet before the next relay. A few laps later, Venezuela and South Korea were disqualified for having pushed their teammates outside the relay area. The teams ended up being only four to be fighting for the gold medal. An intense duel between China Taipei and Colombia animated the race. The public eyes were focused on those two teams, probably stating a potential physical superiority of China Taipei. But it seems like Colombia was mentally stronger since the last Colombian skater passed the last Chinese Taipei skater in the last lap flying toward victory while China Taipei was no longer believing in the gold. Colombia finished first (with Nathalia Giraldo, Fabriana Arias and Magda Garce) with a time of 4.27.72; China Taipei finished 2^nd (with Yen Tzu Chu, Ching Ting Chang and Yi Hsuan Liu). Italy completed the podium (with Arianna Piazza, Giulia Lollobrigida and Sofia D’Annibale).

Junior men

Italy, France, Colombia, South Korea, China Taipei and the USA were qualified for the final. Whereas the French skaters were conducting the perfect race, always in the front, mastering what they were doing, Italy was disqualified. France was still ahead, followed by the USA, Colombia, South Korea and China Taipei. But France committed the unfixable fault, with a relay outside the relay area. Whereas they seemed sure to get a medal, they were also disqualified. Once again, there were only four teams left to be fighting for the gold medal, and the victory went to Colombia (with Andres Jimenez, Boris Pena and Manuel Saavedra) who finished its 3000M-relay in a time of 4.09.20 . South Korea (with Min Su Kim, Do Bong Park and Hong Rae Jung) grabbed the silver medal and China Taipei (with Shao Chun Chuang, Tsu Cheng Chao and Yu Hua Liu) became 3^rd.

Senior ladies

Argentina, Colombia, Italy, Germany, South Korea and the Netherlands were qualified for the final. The race started slowly. But Italy soon decided to speed up the race and to lead the pack. At that moment, the spectators were shouting at the Italians, encouraging them and screaming. The Netherlands then went to the front of the pack thanks to an incredible acceleration of Manon Kaminga. Argentina was disqualified. Then, Italy came back in the front followed by Colombia. Both teams were elbowing when Germany suddenly passed in the front. Two laps from the arrival, South Korea was disqualified. The track was therefore clearer for the final sprint! Although the last Italian skater crossed the inside line of the track in the last lap of the race, the judge seemed not to have seen anything and Italy could finish its race without being disqualified. Colombia (with Paola Segura, Kelly Martinez… ) ended up winning one more title with a time of 4.23.39. Germany (with Sabine Berg, Jana Gegner and Mareike Thum) became vice world champion and Italy (with Giulia Bongiorno, Erika Zanetti and Francesca Lollobrigida) completed the podium.

Senior men

After two false starts, Italy, Colombia, Argentina, China Taipei, the USA and New-Zealand took off for their relay. Argentina made an incredible start and kept its position for several laps. Colombia passed in the front just before Argentina decided to lead the pack again. The USA were quite often well placed in the peloton. It was very tied between Colombia, Argentina, China Taipei and Italy. New-Zealand lost contact with the pack after an altercation in one of the corners. In the final sprint, Colombia (with Pedro Causil, Andres Munoz and Carlos Perez) got its sixth gold medal of the day, the fourth one out of four in the relay! Columbia was unbeatable! The race time was 4.04.23. China Taipei (with Jia Jung Lin, Wei Lin Lo and Yan Cheng Chei) became 3^rd, just in front of Argentina (with Guillermo Servian, Ezquiel Capellano and Juan Cruz Araldi) which got its first medal of the championship.

Statistics of the finals of day 3

Short distances: 500m (Juniors), 1000m (Seniors)

	1	2	3
Junior ladies	COLOMBIA	COLOMBIA	ITALY
Junior men	COLOMBIA	COLOMBIA	SOUTH KOREA
Senior ladies	CHINA	CHINA TAIPEI	ITALY
Senior men	NEW-ZEALAND	ITALY	FRANCE

Brief comments on short distances medals

While Colombia performed fantastically in the Junior category, grabbing the gold and the silver medals both with the ladies and the men, it did not manage to grab one single medal in the Senior category! That’s to be mentioned! Italy grabbed three medals, but no title. France Chine, China Taipei, New-Zealand and South Korea got one medal each. New-Zealand got its second title of the championship thanks to a very strong Peter Michael. European skaters got only four medals in total.

Relays

	1	2	3
Junior ladies	COLOMBIA	CHINA TAIPEI	ITALY
Junior men	COLOMBIA	SOUTH KOREA	CHINA TAIPEI
Senior ladies	COLOMBIA	ITALY	GERMANY
Senior men	COLOMBIA	CHINA TAIPEI	ARGENTINA

Brief comments on long distances medals

Grand slam for Colombia! The South American country got four out of four possible titles, letting no chance to any other nations to become world champion on the relay. China Taipei showed its growing domination by winning three extra medals. Italy grabbed two medals. South Korea, Argentina and Germany got one medal each. European nations got only three medals. France did not get any medals on what used to be its predilection area.