BRASILIA, Brazil (April 12) — China’s Pu Huajia stormed to victory in the U20 men’s 10km race at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships in Brasilia on Sunday, delivering a powerful solo performance to win by nearly 50 seconds. Italy won the team title, just edging China after both teams finished with the same points.
The 18-year-old clocked a personal best and world U20 lead of 39 minutes 58 seconds, pulling clear after halfway to secure China’s first men’s U20 title since 2018. Australia’s Isaac Beacroft, the defending champion, settled for silver in 40:47, while Italy’s Alessio Coppola claimed bronze in 41:16.
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Coppola’s consistency paid off in the team standings as Italy edged China on countback for the second team runner, to win their first U20 men’s team title after both nations finished tied on 7 points. Coppola (third), Nicolo’ Vidal (fourth, 41:25 SB), combined for the decisive team total, with Cristian Cecchetto finishing 18th.
China’s team, led by Pu and supported by Chengxi Shi (sixth, 41:51) and Haoze Zhang (seventh, 42:07), placed second. Australia took bronze in the team standings with 14 points.
USA’s Gael Plasencia finished with a personal best of 45:42, but could only manage a 27th-place finish.
In all, 38 athletes started, with three disqualified mid-race.
U20 Men’s 10km Results
- Pu Huajia (CHN) — 39:58 PB, WU20L
- Isaac Beacroft (AUS) — 40:47
- Alessio Coppola (ITA) — 41:16
- Nicolo’ Vidal (ITA) — 41:25 SB
- Emiliano Barba (MEX) — 41:47 SB
- Chengxi Shi (CHN) — 41:51
- Haoze Zhang (CHN) — 42:07
- Pablo Zárate (ESP) — 42:11 PB
- Ryuta Tainaka (JPN) — 42:16
- Eloi Anton (ESP) — 42:21 PB
- Yasin Abduselam Abduwahab (ETH) — 42:21 PB
- Owen Toyne (AUS) — 42:24 SB
- José Duvan Ccoscco Sueldo (PER) — 42:46 PB
- Cesar Hidalgo (ESP) — 42:57
- Derian Jair Robalino Cordona (ECU) — 42:58 PB
- Osvaldo Miramontes (MEX) — 43:35 PB
- Toshiya Inoue (JPN) — 43:39
- Cristian Cecchetto (ITA) — 43:53
- Daichi Yamada (JPN) — 43:55
- Sebastia Vinicio Barrera Quinde (ECU) — 44:05 SB
- Matthew Newell (IRL) — 44:08 PB
- Azadullah Beğçe (TUR) — 44:51
- Przemysław Jasiński (POL) — 44:52
- Séamus Clarke (IRL) — 44:54
- John Glennon (IRL) — 45:09
- Sergio Santiago Nieto Moreno (COL) — 45:17 PB
- Gael Plasencia (USA) — 45:42 PB
- Davi Gabriel Bastos (BRA) — 45:43 PB
- Lukáš Rosenbaum (SVK) — 46:15 SB
- Jakub Mažgút (SVK) — 46:45 SB
- Vinicius Da Silva (BRA) — 47:04 PB
- Mateus Ribeiro Pereira Dos Santos (BRA) — 47:31 PB
- Yamkela Luthsa Shosha (RSA) — 48:27 PB
- Dylan Sebastian Acedo (MEX) — 49:00 PB
- Ari Bennett (NZL) — 50:09 PB
- John Ronan (AUS) — DQ
- Clement Rabreau (FRA) — DQ
- Gabriel González (VEN) — DQ
Team Standings
- Italy — 7 points
- China — 7 points
- Australia — 14 points
- Spain — 18 points
- Mexico — 21 points
- Japan — 26 points
- Ecuador — 35 points
- Ireland — 45 points
- Slovakia — 59 points
- Brazil — 59 points
