But the most prestigious achievement of his career was achieved in 2016, at age 35, when he finished fourth at the World Race Walking Team Championships, but was awarded the bronze medal following the disqualification for doping of the teammate Alex Schwazer, who had won the gold medal.[3]
Marco De Luca won three times the individual national championship.[5][6] At London 2017 for him it is the seventh consecutive participation in the World Championships. He also participated at three editions of the Summer Olympics from 2008 to 201 and four consecutive editions (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018) of European Championships (in the editions of the European Championships of the Olympic years, 2012 and 2016, the race walk was not part of the program).
^ abHe was 8th, but became 7th after a disqaulification of an athlete for doping causes.
^ abHe was 7th, but became 6th after a disqaulification of an athlete for doping causes.
^"Doping walker Alex Schwazer handed eight-year ban for second offence". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 2 August 2017. Schwazer returned to competition this year, winning the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships in Rome in May where he won the 50km event ahead of Australia's 2012 Olympic champion Jared Tallent, who will now be awarded gold with Ukrainian Ihor Hlavan being upgraded to silver and fellow Italian Marco de Luca handed bronze.
