Italy’s Massimo Stano won the Olympic men’s 20km race walk on Thursday, pulling ahead of the pack in the final stages to claim his country’s third gold medal in the event. Japan’s Koki Ikeda secured the silver medal and compatriot Toshikazu Yamanishi claimed bronze, the first Olympic medals for Japan in the 20km race walk. Stano had never won a major international race so the fact the victory came on the world’s biggest sporting stage made it all the sweeter for the 29-year-old.

“It’s beautiful to cross the finish line first. In my life, in international races, never first. Fourth, third, sixth, never first. But in the best race, in the Olympic Games, I’m first. It’s the best,” he told reporters. “It’s unbelievable. I haven’t woken up now, it’s like a dream.” Stano made a thumb-sucking gesture on the winner’s podium, in reference to his six-month-old daughter to whom he dedicated his victory.