Massimo Stano won the 20km walk race
at the Olympics on Thursday, giving Italy its seventh gold of
the Tokyo 2020 Games.
Japan's Koki Ikeda took silver and his compatriot Toshikazu
Yamanishi won bronze.
Stano broke away from the Japanese pair on the last kilometer.
"I've been repeating to myself that I'm the best, the best in
the world, for two months," Stano said.
"I kept saying inside my head that you lot can do whatever you
want, I'm the best.
"I dedicate the victory to my daughter Sophie and my wife
Fatima, who supports me and puts up with me.
"The race was tough from the start but the heat and humidity
worked in my favor".
Italy has already won 34 medals at Tokyo 2020, six more that the
tally it achieved at Rio 2016 and London 2012.
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