31 December 2024
In 1975, 50 years ago, the first edition of Alytus competition took place; a total of 19 race walkers from Alytus, Birstonas and Druskininkai participated in the event. As the years passed, a number of participants went up, and event’s popularity increased inside and outside Lithuania. Algeria and Kazakhstan, Panama and Israel, Tajikistan and Italy, Azerbaijan and Sweden, France and Russia, Hong Kong and South Africa, Spain and Mexico, Greece and Turkey, Columbia and Guatemala, etc…. these are some examples of a total of 61 countries that were represented in the event. The highest number of athletes participated in the festival in 1988, when 386 race walkers took part in races, however there were even more athletes willing to take part, but a number had to be limited due to the lack of available accommodation. Alytus was among the first to combine sport and culture, perhaps the first in Eastern Europe or even the whole race walking world; traditionally the athletes would be presented with valuable prizes. This is the event where many national and international prominent race walkers started their athletic career.
Residents of Alytus have had multiple opportunities to observe Olympic, World, European, African, Asian and American champions and medal winners as well as record holders in action. Town’s streets have seen the performance of Olympic champions Jelena Nikolajeva, Vyacheslav Ivanenko, Andrej Perlov from Russian Federation, Antonella Palmisano (ITA), David Tomala (POL), Massimo Stano (ITA).Olympic medal winners Jorge Liopart ( ESP), Aigars Fadejevs (LAT), Ronald Weigel (GER), Pyotr Pochenchuk (BLR), Vladmir Andrejev (RUS), Erick Barrondo (GUA),World champions Aleksandr Potashov (BLR) and Yohann Diniz (FRA),Perseus Kalstriom (SWE) World championships medal winners Valentina Cibulskaja, Olga Kardopolceva, Michail Chmelnickiy, Jevgenij Misiulia, Franz Kostiukevich (all from BLR), Hatem Ghuola (TUN), Trond Nymark (NOR), Eder Sanchez (MEX), Perseus Kalstriom (SWE), European champions Natalia Dmitrochenko (BLR),Antigoni Drisbioti (GRE), Perseus Kalstriom (SWE, medal winners at European championships Grzegosz Sudol (POL), Dzimitry Dziubin (BLR), Vasilij Mizinov (ANA), Victoria Madarasz (HUN), Christopher Linke (GER), Lyudmila Olyanovska (UKR),world and Europianan records holders from Lithuania Sada Eidikyte, Kristina Saltanovic, Valdas Kazlauskas, Vytautas Zurnia, Antanas Grigaliūnas, as well as Eleonora Giorgi (ITA) and many other well-known race walkers.
World records were broken in Alytus by Russian athletes Yelena Sayko in 1991(10 km – 42:22), and Jelena Nikolajeva in 1992 (3 km -11:55), Belarusian athletes Frantz Kostiukevich – 5 km (18:49), European records were broken by Olga Kardopolceva in 1990 (5 km –20:41), Eleonora Giorgi in 2019 (50 km- 4:04:50). Two world veteran records that have not been broken since, were also achieved in Alytus and belong to Chuvashian race walker Viktor Semenov – 10 km (41:28) and 20 km (1:24:31).
Alytus can be proud not only for sport competition, but also for its athletes: USSR champions and medal winners Rimantas Šimkevicius, Rūta Erlingytė, Danutė Baranauskaitė, Algis Lebedžius. The latter has won bronze medal in European youth championships.
The bronze medal at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin was won by Brigita Virbalytė, who also achieved the highest individual finish, 7th place, at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and the 3rd place at the 2017 European Team Championships in Padebrady.
Alytus can be proud of its 4 Olympians in race walking events. Gintaras Andriuškevicius raced in Athens, brothers Donatas and Darius Škarnulis in Beijing, another town’s representative Brigita Virbalytė raced in London, Rio and Tokio.
The sponsors of Alytus festival have been well known local and international companies: Medvilnes kombinatas, Saldytuvu gamykla, “Lietzaliava”, “Daisotra”, “Alkesta“, “Altreklama“, “Elmonta“; Alytus’ municipality, Lithuanian athletics federation, , LRT, FM’99 have also played an important role, the festival received publicity thanks to newspapers “Lietuvos Rytas”, “Sportas”.
Kastytis Pavilonis
The initiator and organizer of the festival
15 August 2024
Dear citizens and guests of Alytus, participants of the sport walking festival
For 50 years, this event has been tirelessly organized with the perseverance characteristic of athletes. Many of us weren't even born yet, but the race walking enthusiasts of Alytus were already participating in this festival, walking with such a swift and strong stride that they proved half a century is not their limit. I thank the President of the Lithuanian Race Walking Association, Kastytis Pavilonis, for his persistence, dedication to tradition, and for promoting the name of Alytus.
Wishing the race walking festival a hundred years, I believe, is entirely realistic because you have shown that you are not just a short-lived project. I hope that people will keep walking, keep exercising, and continue to join the ranks of race walking enthusiasts even after another 50 years when you celebrate the festival's centennial. And to the athletes, the participants of the event, I say: onward, and may the journey to the finish line be swift.
Mayor of Alytus City Municipality
Nerijus Cesiulis
