Race Walking - Introduction
What is Race Walking?
The XII and XIII century tradition of the English "footmen", who alternated running and walking as they accompanied their masters' coaches on long trips, inspired the walking competitions which were first held between 1775 and 1800 in England. These contests were over six days, 24 hours, etc.
In 1866 a 7 mile track walking race was introduced to the English Championships. In 1908 walking entered the Olympic Games in London with a 3500m and a 10 mile race. Those events were replaced in 1912 by one race at 10,000m. Two races were present again in the 1920 Games: 3000m and 10,000m.
In 1924 only the 10,000m race was retained but, in view of the large number of irregularities encountered, walking was eliminated altogether from the 1928 Games. Olympic walking was re-introduced in 1932 over 50km on the road with the 10,000m track walk also reinstated for 1948 and 1952. The standard Olympic road walking distances of 20km and 50km have been contested at each Olympics since 1956, except the 50km was dropped just for the 1976 Games.
Women's race walking contests were first recorded in Czechoslovakia in 1932.10km road competitions were part of the IAAF World Championships for the first time in 1987 and the Olympic Games in 1992. The distance was extended to 20km from the 1999 World Championships.
Race Walking - Is it for me?
The only reason why, when she hears the gun, she doesn’t break into a jog or begin to run, Is because, like me and you She knows only too well, That ever since time begun Men have had to learn to walk before they run.
Walking is a particularly human activity. This step by step progression, which maintains unbroken contact with the ground, is one of our first physical achievements. Yet, as an athletic event, walking is a paradox. Attempting to walk as fast as possible, within IAAF rules, means fighting the human instinct of breaking into a run for extra speed. Competition walking looks very different to ordinary walking. When race walking, no visible (to the judges' naked eye) loss of contact with the ground must take place. The advancing leg should be straightened (not bent at the knee) from the moment of first ground contact until it is perfectly upright. Lasting almost 4 hours, the men’s 50km race walking event is the longest on the IAAF World Championships and Olympic timetable. It demands great strength and ultra-endurance.
Race Walking - Men Landmarks
20km Track Walk
First under 1:35: 1:34:26.0 Janis Dalins LAT 1933
First under 1:30: 1:28:45.2 Leonid Spirin URS 1956
First under 1:25: 1:24:45.0 Bernd Kannenberg FRG 1974
First under 1:20: 1:18:40.0 Ernesto Canto MEX 1984
First under 1:18: 1:17:25.6 Bernardo Segura MEX 1994
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50km Track Walk
First under 4:30: 4:29:58.0 John Ljunggren SWE 1953
First under 4:00: 3:56:51.4 Bernd Kannenberg FRG 1975
First under 3:50: 3:41:38.4 Raúl González MEX 1979
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20km Race Walk
Most Olympic titles:
2 Ugo Frigerio ITA (10,000m) 1920/1924, John Mikaelsson SWE (10,000m) 1948/1952 & Volodomir Golubnichiy URS 1960/1968
Most World titles: 2 Maurizio Damilano ITA 1987/1991
Youngest Olympic/World champion: Michele Didoni ITA 1995 (21) Oldest: Mikaelsson 1952 (38)
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50km Race Walk
Most Olympic titles:
2 Robert Korzeniowski POL (1996/2000)
Most World titles: 2 Robert Korzeniowski POL (1997/2001)
Youngest Olympic/World champion: Jesus Garcia ESP 1993 (23) Oldest: Tommy Green GBR 1932 (38)
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All-time greats
20km and distances below -
John Mikaelsson (SWE): A world record breaker at several distances between 3000m and 20km from 1936 to 1945, he won the Olympic 10,000m track title in 1948 and 1952.
Volodomir Golubnichiy (URS): Between 1955 and 1958 he improved the world 20km track record by over three minutes and went on to win Olympic gold in 1960 and 1968 as well as taking silver in 1972 and bronze in 1964.
50km -
Raúl González (MEX): He revolutionised performance levels at 50km in 1978/1979, cutting 15 minutes from Bernd Kannenberg's world track record and setting an even faster world road best of 3:41:20 before taking the 1984 Olympic title by nearly six minutes.
Robert Korzeniowski POL: Took an unprecedented walking double at the 2000 Sydney Olympics at 20k and 50km, the latter victory retaining the title he won at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Also, won three World 50km titles (1997, 2001, 2003) and a bronze medal in 1995. At continental level, he took the 50km at the 1998 and 2002 European Championships, the latter of these in a World best of 3:36:39.
Race Walking - Women Landmarks
10,000m track walk
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20,000m track walk
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10km Race Walk (now relaced by 20km)
Superlatives 10km
Most Olympic titles: 1 by Chen Yueling CHN 1992 & Yelena Nikolayeva 1996 & Liping Wang CHN 2000
Most World titles: 2 Olimpiada Ivanova RUS
Youngest Olympic/World champion: Irina Stankina RUS (18)
Oldest: Yelena Nikolayeva 1996 (30)
20km Road Walk
First under 1:30: 1:29:40 Kerry Saxby-Junna AUS 1988
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Two all-time greats
Kerry Saxby-Junna (AUS): A prolific world record breaker between 1988 and 1996 and winner of the world indoor 3000m title in 1989, she successfully moved up to 20km with a bronze medal in the 1999 World Championships at the age of 38.
Yelena Nikolayeva (URS): Second in the 1992 Olympics and winner four years later, Nikolayeva set a world best of 41:04 for 10k on the road in 1996.