Sweet Korzeniowski walks to new title with new world best

PARIS, Aug 27 (AFP) - Walking titan Robert Korzeniowski of Poland retained his 50 kilometres walk title here at the world championships on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old double Olympic champion in 2000 won in a world best time of 3hr 36min 03sec, shattering his former record by 36sec, beating German Skurygin of Russia while Germany's Andreas Erm took the bronze.

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Korzeniowski, who is sponsored by a sweet factory, made his break between the 20-25km mark and by 30km he was over a minute ahead although the 39-year-old Skurygin made huge inroads on it and reduced it to 19sec by the 40km mark.

However, Skurygin, who was stripped of this title in 1999 when it was learnt that the Russian Federation had imposed a drugs ban on him in August of that year, was unable to reduce it further and instead the formerly French based Pole extended his lead to 39sec by the line.

Korzeniowski, however, had not forgotten that for long periods of time he trained and lived in France, though he has now moved back home to Krakow.

"I feel more French than Polish," said Korzeniowski, who now has eight gold medals from major championships.

"I wasn't really looking for the world best but when Skurygin got on my tail I had to step up the pace and well its a double bonus."

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