Schwazer returns and wins the 10,000 company in Veneto. Donati: “Alex can still do great things”

Alex Schwazer returns to competition with a victory and clocks a good 43'11"37 in the 10,000 meters of track walking in the Veneto regional phase of the absolute club championships . This morning in San Biagio di Callalta, in the province of Treviso, the South Tyrolean walker demonstrated that, even at 40 years old, his walker's talent has not diminished. Alex was stopped by the judges and therefore forced to a 60-second pit stop after receiving three warnings for 'suspension'. For Schwazer it was a completely calm race with the second place finisher arriving seven minutes late.

Schwazer's career

Schwazer, Olympic champion in the 50 km walk in Beijing 2008, has been a member of Atletica San Biagio since last season after having been a standard-bearer for the Carabinieri (until 2012), then for Polisportiva Avi Vipiteno (2015), Lg Brixen-Bressanone (2016) and since last year for Atletica San Biagio. Alex, trained by the champion of the fight against doping Sandro Donati since 2015, returned to competition after an 8-year disqualification for a second violation of the anti-doping code on 19 July last year in the 20,000 metres on the track in Arco, but was forced to stop around the 14th kilometre due to severe sciatica. A planned return dedicated to his family, his wife Kathrin Freund and his children, Ida and Noah . After some results of absolute world value - in addition to the Olympic gold also two world bronzes in the 50 km and the posthumous gold in the 20 km at the European Championships in Barcelona 2010 - in 2012 Schwazer was found positive for EPO. In a dramatic press conference, Alex confirmed the intake and was disqualified.

Donati: “Physically he’s fine, technique needs fixing”

Donati himself, at the end of the race, spoke of an Alex who "from a physiological point of view is very well, with his technique fixed he is still capable of great performances, even staying under 40 minutes in the 10 kilometers. The judges noted some flaws in terms of technique. My relationship with Alex is no longer that of a coach but has become one of friendship, affection, closeness after all that we have suffered in terms of injustice".