Korzeniowski wins his second world 50 km walk

Olympic champion Robert Korzeniowski walked a tactical race to clinch a second world 50 kilometres road title on Saturday.

Korzeniowski, the only man to win the walk double at an Olympics, took the lead around the halfway mark, winning in three hours 42.08 -- the fastest time in the world this year.

Spaniard Jesus Angel Garcia, world champion in 1993, won the silver medal in 3:43.07.

Edgar Hernandez of Mexico caused a last minute upset by snatching bronze from Latvia's Olympic silver medallist Aigars Fadejevs in the final 100 metres of the race. Hernandez smashed his personal best by almost 10 minutes, clocking 3:46.12.

Korzeniowski, the 1997 world champion, entered the stadium to the cheers of a large Polish contingent, pumped the air with outstretched arms and jogged a lap of victory.

"This is a great day for me even if I have lots of medals," Korzeniowski said after the race.

"I have won everything that one can dream of, but I still keep dreaming. My next dream is Athens 2004."

The Pole said the Olympic 50 kms would be his last professional, high-level race.

Breakaway
On a clear, still morning 42 athletes left Commonwealth Stadium 6-1/2 hours before the rest of the day's events started, to complete 24 laps of a street circuit.

Korzeniowski watched as team mate Tomasz Lipiec broke away at the 15 kms mark and created an 18-second gap.

Korzeniowski stayed with the leading group that included Australia's Nathan Deakes, the fastest man in the world this year.

But Deakes, expected to win a medal, was disqualified around the 23 kms mark. Ten athletes were stopped by officials among the 48 who started.

Korzeniowski, who has a smooth technique and is rarely disqualified, reeled his compatriot in and surged ahead never to be challenged, much to the delight of his Polish supporters.

"I was not surprised by the number of Polish fans on the course because I met people from the Polish community in Edmonton three years ago...after the European championships," he said.

"There was a big organisation of Polish supporters groups waving their flags; it was like a little army supporting me out there."

With Korzeniowski comfortably in the lead, the fight for medals turned to the silver and bronze positions. Garcia, who won silver in 1997, battled Fadejevs for second place and by the 45-kilometre mark had it securely in his grasp.

Fadejevs had the finish line and bronze medal in his sights when Hernandez surged past him in the stadium to steal third spot. The Mexican had been almost three minutes behind with five kilometres to go.

"Around the last curve I just exploded with energy to win bronze," he said.

New Rule
The medallists said they supported a new rule on disqualification adopted by the Congress of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) last week.

The change permits judges to disqualify a walker on a single offence, instead of three previously, if it is committed between the circuit and the stadium, or on the track proper.

"The rules are better for the sport. They are good for technique and the image of the sport," said Garcia.

"I have never been disqualified in the last bit (of a race) but I have often been beaten," Korzeniowski said.

The rule was introduced to stop infringements at a stage in the race when there is not enough time to incur three warnings.

No athletes have been disqualified under the new rule at these championships.