Raffaello Ducceschi

• Full Name — Raffaello Fabio Ducceschi • National Team — Italy: 11 caps (1983-1989) • Sport — Athletics • Event — Race walk • Club — G.S. Fiamme Oro • Born — 25 February 1962 • Birthplace — Sesto San Giovanni, Italy • Retired — 1992 • Height — 1.83 m • Weight — 63 kg • Personal Best — *20 km walk: 1:24:55 (1984) • 50 km walk: 3:44.27 (1988)

• Illustration — Ducceschi at work in Barcelona Ducceschi won one medal, at individual level, at the International athletics competitions. He participated at two Summer Olympic Games (1984 and 1988), he has 11 caps in national team from 1983 to 1989. Twice a finalist in the 50 kilometres race walk at the Olympic Games (in Los Angeles 1984 and Seoul 1988), his best result was the 1987 World Championships in Athletics, when though struck with dysentery during the race and being forced to stop along the roadside several times, he was able to reach the finish line, taking fourth place. He was trained from 1980 to 1984 by Roberto Vanzillotta, 1985–1986 by Antonio La Torre, the first half of 1987 by Peter Pastorini, and from May 1987 to all of 1988 by Sandro Damilano in Saluzzo with Maurizio and Giorgio Damilano. Having carried out a career as an athlete, Duccechi moved to Barcelona, Spain, where he is a professional graphic designer and teaches at the university. Since 2001 he has been practicing and teaching Fitwalking.

• 50 km walk: 3:44:27 (Molfetta, 17 April 1988) until 13 August 1994

• 10 km walk (track): 40:56 (Cittadella, 10 May 1987) • 20 km walk: 1:24:55 (Piacenza, 13 May 1984) • 20 km walk (track) 1:27:28 (Mestre, 14 April 1984) • 50 km walk: 3:44:27 (Molfetta, 17 April 1988)

• 50 km walk • Year — Time — Venue — Date • 1988 — 3:44:27 — Molfetta — 17 April • 1987 — 3:47:49 — Rome — 5 September • 1986 — 3:56:42 — Stuttgart — 31 August • 1984 — 3:59:26 — Los Angeles — 11 August

• Year — Competition — Venue — Position — Event — Time — Notes • 1984 — Olympic Games — Los Angeles — 5th — 50 km — 3:59:26 • 1985 — World Race Walking Cup — St John's — 5th — 50 km — 3:59:55 • 3rd — Team — 233 pts • 1986 — European Championships — Stuttgart — 13th — 50 km — 3:56.42 • 1987 — World Student Games — Zagreb — 1st — 20 km — 1.25:02 • World Race Walking Cup — New York City — 10th — 50 km — 3:52:29 • 2nd — Team — 569 pts • World Championships — Rome — 4th — 50 km — 3:47.49 • 1988 — Olympic Games — Seoul — 8th — 50 km — 3:45:43 • 1989 — World Race Walking Cup — L'Hospitalet — 35th — 50 km — 4:09:06 • 2nd — Team — 534 pts

Ducceschi won three national championships at individual senior level. • Italian Athletics Championships • 50 km walk: 1983, 1984, 1988 (3)