Running like rulers isn't easy, especially when the weather conditions aren't the best and you have to deal with wind and humidity. But Antonino Lollo is certainly not afraid of these aspects and with a test of great authority this morning he made the first edition of the ''Joint Run'' in Cagliari his own, a 10 km road race event of which Radiolina was the media partner. organized by Cagliari Atletica Leggera, with departure and arrival inside the Fair of the capital.
At the end of the two five-kilometre laps, the bearer of the Apuan Alps Park GP also set an important time of 31'17''. Among the women, Giorgia Pilia of President Giuseppe Floris' Isolarun prevailed after a careful and progressive race, who got the better of a tenacious Cristina Sonedda (F50, Athletics Edoardo Sanna) with a time of 41'36''. second in 41'51''. To complete the podium, Federica Frongia (F45, Cagliari Athletics) takes care of it in 42'26''.
The record
The departure is given by General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo at 10.15 sharp. Over six hundred people, between the 10 km competitive test and the 5 km recreational motor walk, enliven the city passing through viale Diaz, viale Cimitero, via San Lucifero, via Sonnino to then return again to viale Diaz and conclude their effort at the fair. Two laps scheduled from 5000 metres: Antonino Lollo knows he is the man to beat, his stride is fluid and you can see it right away, on the first lap he passes decisively in 15'28'', a pace that prevents his opponents from keep up with him. Behind him an excellent Oualid Abdelkader of the Cagliari Marathon Club, Sardinian athletics veteran second at the finish line with a time of 33'15'', runs nimbly going at his own pace, aware of being able to improve in the final.
Abdelkader passes just under a minute away, behind him are Mario Lagana (Atletica Edoardo Sanna) and Roberto Melis (M45, Cagliari Athletics) separated by about thirty seconds, then respectively third and fourth in 33'54 '' and 34'21''. Lollo tackles the second lap slightly decreasing his pace, he doesn't get upset, he manages to keep a high pace, increasing the margin of advantage over the runner-up which will then widen. For him, comes the third victory in Sardinia, after the successes at the Oristano half marathon and the Chia half marathon.
Among the women the scenario is different and we are witnessing a race where the first two classified follow each other until the final stage. Giorgia Pilia and Cristina Sonedda go ahead immediately, Sonedda gains a few meters in the first lap but Giorgia Pilia doesn't lose her calm and always remains concentrated. Her lucrative run and strong final progression enable her to secure a morale-boosting victory for the next challenge.
The comment
At the end of the race, faces are smiling and tiredness, even if present, gives way to joy for the day. «I'm very happy», commented Antonino Lollo, first classified among men, «I ran at a good pace, in the end I slowed down so as not to overdo it. Racing in Sardinia is always nice and offers me many stimuli; I'm training well, the main objective for 2023 will be the marathon and the Tricolors over 42 km». Satisfaction also for Giorgia Pilia, winner among women. "I'm honest, I didn't expect to win. It was a very hard-fought race, I tried to manage my strength well and everything went well. Now let's think about the future, my goal for this year will be the Valencia half marathon».
Objectives towards which Oualid Abdelkader also turns his gaze, second overall and first of the Sardinians. «I managed well, I ran faster than the 10 km of the Karalis Run and this factor gives me morale. There will be many races in which to show off, for myself the most important ones will take place at the end of the season where I hope to do well for the Tricolors on the road in the 10 km and half marathon». After an important first edition, the gaze is turned to next year.
«Today was a beautiful day, we saw a lot of people having fun and getting involved on a fast course that made itself felt on the legs of the athletes», commented the organizer Andrea Culeddu. «The level was high, the participants ran at an excellent pace: the hope is to be able to organize this race also in 2024, involving even more people so as to attend a hard-fought and exciting race».