The Peruvian walker Kimberly Garcia wins again and is the first athlete with two golds in the Oregon World Cup

The drone with the cameras that record the test buzzes like a fly in the sky while the Peruvian Kimberly Garcia (Huancayo, 28 years old), says in Oregon that she is the leader of the march. A week after her victory in the 20-kilometre test, the young woman wins gold again. And she will accumulate the milestones. They are the first two medals in the history of the athletics world championships for Peru. She is the first to repeat victory in the Oregon World Cup so far. And the first Latin American to obtain two medals in the same world championship.

Born at more than 3,200 meters above sea level, where oxygen is scarcer and the body gets used to doing more with less, Garcia says she took special care of rest and nutrition during these days to recover from the effort of her first race . At no time during the 35 kilometers does the South American give a feeling of fatigue, who soon escaped with the Polish Katarzyna Zdziebło and the Chinese Qieyang Shiejie, the same two rivals who accompanied her on the first podium in Eugene.

It soon becomes clear that the Asian girl’s attempt to follow them responds more to will than force. And from kilometer five Garcia and Zdziebło are increasing their advantage in the one kilometer circuit located next to the Autzen American football stadium that they go round and round. Meanwhile, from behind, the Spaniards Raquel Gonzalez and Laura Garcia-Caro march close to the medals, and patiently wait for the prick of one of those in front to play metal.

“Let’s go Kimy!” shout several Peruvian fans on the side holding the flag, along with the coaches who tirelessly encourage their athletes every time they pass by them, with a closeness that does not exist in any other event.

The medals seem like a thing for two. But Kimberly Garcia decides not to wait until the end, and halfway through the test she leaves alone. The sunglasses, previously raised, now cover her eyes, and while the rictus of others twists with pain and fatigue, and some bend under the weight of the kilometers, she walks impassively, plenty of oxygen that others it lacks, without expressing any emotion or suffering. “The strategy was to continue until kilometer 20 and increase,” she will explain at the end.

That progression, with a second half faster than the first, is unattainable for the rivals, although at times the Pole threatens her close, and the distance expands and contracts like an accordion. Finally, it gives up, and Peru, hand in hand with its best walker, achieves its second gold, which places the country fifth in the medal table, ahead of countries with such an athletic tradition as Kenya.

At the end, Garcia explains that the result has exceeded the expectations with which he arrived in Oregon. “We didn’t expect to win gold medals, we did expect to be in a good place. I have prepared a lot, I have been working very hard to achieve this, it has been my dream since I was very little and to be fulfilling it makes me very proud of myself. I hope that all Peruvians are very proud that Peru is present at the World Cup”.

The Spanish Raquel Gonzalez and Laura Garcia Caro were fifth and sixth respectively, and both achieved their personal best on a very favorable day in terms of weather, 15 degrees at the time of departure.

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