The SSD analysis of the 500m sprint Final for the Senior Men
It is the evening of September 15 in Montesilvano (PE), and under a dark sky covered by threatening clouds, the finals of the 1000m for Junior athletes and the 500m Sprint for Seniors are taking place. The stands are full, and the box office has sold out. There is great anticipation for the final of the men's sprint race: Marsili and Maiorca are challenging the favorite Guzman (SPA) and a very strong Silva (CHL), who won gold in the 200m dual TT at last year's world championships in Montecchio. In about forty seconds – or less – the new track king of speed will be proclaimed.
In these two and a half laps, there is no time to think. Explosiveness, top speed, speed endurance, and lactic power are the main athletic abilities that these skaters have trained hard for all year. If you're familiar with the specialty, you know what we’re talking about, and for everyone else, this article highlights the key performance characteristics necessary to compete in the 500m sprint race.
Athletes' introduction and their approach to the race
At the end of the B final for the Senior Men, the camera focuses on the entry gate to the track. In the foreground is a very concentrated Guzman, expressionless, relaxed in his powerful musculature – a feline ready to pounce on its prey. Behind him, the two Italians, particularly Marsili, seem more at ease and share a few jokes and smiles with the event's staff members. Just as in track and field sprint events, the pre-start can provide clues about what the outcome of the final might be. An analysis of the context offers an additional insight into the thoughts and emotions experienced by these athletes.
Guzman came from a 200m dual time trial where he first qualified for the final with the best time by a wide margin, only to fall short of expectations, finishing “only” with the fourth-best time. Marsili, on the other hand, clinched a significant bronze medal (Duccio had also won the 1000m just 24 hours before competing in this 500m final). Meanwhile, Maiorca unexpectedly won a much-desired gold medal. For the Sicilian athlete, this success might ease some of the performance anxiety that can burden a young man tasked with “defending his title in the home world championship.”
Duccio laughs. Before entering the track, he is calm. He is hungry for victory. This calm is characteristic of an athlete who has reached maturity: at 28, he no longer needs to prove his worth; everyone knows how strong he is, and he knows it too. With this confidence, he steps onto the track ready to compete against his teammate in blue, the Spaniard, and the Chilean – who seems the happiest of the four as he prepares to run this final.
The pre-start ends with a brief shot of the athletes, their eyes fixed on the starting line while simultaneously visualising the race, the trajectories, and the finish line in their minds.
The Race Start
“In position! Set…”. Il primo a reagire al segnale del giudice-starter è Maiorca (partenza frontale per lui) leggermente dopo reagiscono gli altri tre atleti (che partono con quella laterale). Intuitivamente, la principale tattica adottata nella 500m è quella di prendere le posizioni di testa così da avere nelle proprie mani il destino della gara.
Il primo a raggiungere la curva è però lo spagnolo, uno dei massimi interpreti del gesto tecnico della partenza. Maiorca sceglie di non forzare uno scontro per la prima posizione già al metro 25 di gara: si lascia sfilare e lascia lo spazio anche a Marsili che prende dunque la seconda posizione. Quarta posizione per Silva, dovuta anche per essere partito dalla casella più esterna di tutte. Ottimi, comunque, i piazzamenti degli azzurri che dalla seconda e dalla terza posizione possono suddividersi i compiti. Maiorca guarda le spalle a Marsili che può quindi concentrarsi esclusivamente alla conquista del primo posto.
"In position! Set..." The first to react to the starter's signal is Maiorca (starting with a frontal stance), followed shortly by the other three athletes (starting in a lateral stance). Intuitively, the main tactic adopted in the 500m race is to take the lead positions to gain control over outcome of the race.
However, the first to reach the curve is the Spaniard, one of the best at executing the technical aspects of the start. Maiorca chooses not to force a fight for the first position as early as the 25-meter mark; he lets himself slide back and makes room for Marsili, who thus takes second place. Silva is in fourth, due to starting from the outermost position. Nevertheless, the Italians' placements are excellent, as they hold second and third, allowing them to divide tasks. Maiorca keeps an eye on Marsili's back, letting Marsili focus solely on the first place.
The first lap and the overtakes
They pass the -2 laps mark, with only 400m left to crown the new world champion. Marsili follows Guzman like his shadow. As they enter the second corner, Silva cuts inside on Maiorca and overtakes him. But physics cannot be defied: entering tightly on such a sharp curve inevitably leads to a wide exit (and vice versa). Silva knows this, Maiorca knows this, and the Italian, by holding a wider trajectory—and therefore a higher exit speed—regains his position as soon as they reach the straightaway. Marsili knows it too; after following the Spaniard into the corner, he chooses to force the exit by taking the inside on Guzman.
With 300 meters left in the race, at the entrance to the third corner, Guzman attacks Marsili on the inside. Meanwhile, Maiorca enters the corner high, then "cuts sharply" halfway through. The laws of physics also apply to curve 3, and with a spectacular crossing of trajectories, Marsili exits tightly, using the curve’s parabolic layout, while the Spaniard slips outward.
Maiorca: reading the race and Tactical Interpretation
25 seconds from the start of the race has passed, with around 250 meters left to the finish. Marsili and Guzman are neck and neck on the straightaway—Duccio slightly faster. Maiorca exits the third curve wide in third position. There’s a small contact between the two lead athletes. This is the world these skaters navigate: with wheels on their feet, reaching speeds of 50 km/h, they’re able to read trajectories, envision overtakes, and even execute them on a “handkerchief” of track.
Speed is everything—but it’s not just about physical speed or technical execution. It’s also about mental speed, the ability to react to external stimuli. A high—trained—level of perception and an acute sense of reading the situation are essential for nearly all athletes. In speed skating, particularly in sprint races, even a brief hesitation can cost you the race. Quick decision-making allows athletes to make the best choice in that given context.
This is what Maiorca did: immediately after the contact between Marsili and Guzman, the Sicilian saw an opportunity, a gap. During the 26th second, Vincenzo sprints, pushing with all his strength because he knows this is the right moment. He knows that Marsili will be leading as they enter the next curve. Maiorca follows his Italian teammate move, and what his tactical instincts had predicted comes true. As they enter the penultimate curve, the two Italians are in front.
The grand finale
Maiorca exits the corner wide; the Spaniard tries to pass him, but an incredibly fast Silva attempts, “karmically,” to do the same to him. The final curve is approached with Marsili in front, Maiorca behind him, and Silva once again attempting to slip inside Guzman. It’s a somewhat risky trajectory choice by the Chilean, and he exits the curve very wide, carrying the Spaniard with him to the outside. With sublime technical mastery, considering their speeds, Guzman manages to stay level with Silva, and on the final straight, they face off in a sprint for third place.
Yes, third place. Because the first two positions are firmly in the hands of the Italians. Just meters from the finish, Maiorca looks back—there’s clear space behind him. He rises up, triumphantly spreads his arms as he watches his teammate crossing the finish line. Marsili raises his arms to the sky. Just after crossing the finish line, the two exchange an incredulous yet happy glance that seems to say, “What did we just do?!”
According to the Tuscan athlete, it was the simplicity and naturalness with which they approached the race that allowed this Italian victory. Maiorca, on the other hand, opens up an interesting point about “visualizing the race,” about “practicing it in training,” and that in the end, “it went exactly like that.”
Is speed important in a 500m race? Yes.
Is thinking fast important in a 500m race? Yes.
Do you need to train to go and think that fast? Yes.
Did we just witness the best 500m of the year?
Do I really need to answer that?
This blog is so nice, there's almost no things like this in the world of speed skating, the race is excellent but the blog too, keep doing it :D