# Race walking

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Athletic discipline

Race walking Race walkers at the U.S. World Cup Trials in 1987 Presence Country or region World Olympic Yes

**Race walking**, or **racewalking**, is a long-distance discipline within the [sport of athletics](/source/Sport_of_athletics). Although a foot race, it is different from [running](/source/Running) in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. [Race judges](/source/Referee) carefully assess that this is maintained throughout the race. Races are typically held on either [roads](/source/Road) or [running tracks](/source/Running_track). Common distances range from 3,000 metres (1.9 mi) up to [100 kilometres](/source/100_kilometres_race_walk) (62.1 mi).

The current race walking contests at the [Summer Olympics](/source/Summer_Olympics) are the [20 kilometres race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk) (men and women) and the [marathon race walk mixed relay](/source/Marathon_race_walk_mixed_relay), the latter of which debuted at the [2024 Summer Olympics](/source/2024_Summer_Olympics). The [50 kilometres race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk) (men only) was discontinued after the [2020 Summer Olympics](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics).[1] The biennial [World Athletics Championships](/source/World_Athletics_Championships) also features both 20 and 50 kilometer events, the 50 km walk for women being contested until [2019](/source/2019_World_Athletics_Championships). The 50 km race walk was replaced by the [35 kilometres race walk](/source/35_kilometres_race_walk) as standard championship discipline in [2022](/source/2022_World_Athletics_Championships). The [IAAF World Race Walking Cup](/source/IAAF_World_Race_Walking_Cup), first held in 1961, is a stand-alone global competition for the discipline and it has [10 kilometres race walks](/source/10_kilometres_race_walk) for junior athletes, in addition to the Olympic-standard events. The [IAAF World Indoor Championships](/source/IAAF_World_Indoor_Championships) featured 5000 m and 3000 m race walk variations, but these were discontinued after 1993. Top-level [athletics championships and games](/source/List_of_international_athletics_championships_and_games) typically feature 20 km racewalking events.

The sport emerged from a British culture of long-distance competitive [walking](/source/Walking) known as [pedestrianism](/source/Pedestrianism), which began to develop the ruleset that is the basis of the modern discipline around the mid-19th century. Since the mid-20th century onwards, Russian and Chinese athletes have been among the most successful on the global stage, with Europe and parts of Latin America producing most of the remaining top-level walkers. However, it has been particularly affected by doping, with many Russian world and Olympic champions testing positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs.[2][3]

Compared to other forms of foot racing, stride length is reduced; to achieve competitive speeds racewalkers must attain [cadence](/source/Cadence_(gait)) rates comparable to those achieved by running.[4]

## Rules

Men's 20 km walk during the [2005 World Championships in Athletics](/source/2005_World_Championships_in_Athletics) in [Helsinki](/source/Helsinki), Finland. The walker at the right appears to be breaking the rules of race walking as both feet are off the ground, but according to the current rules, an infraction is only committed when the loss of contact is visible to the *human* eye.[5]

There are only two rules that govern race walking.[6][7] The first dictates that the athlete's back toe cannot leave the ground until the heel of the front foot has touched. Violation of this rule is known as *loss of contact.* The second rule requires that the supporting leg must straighten from the point of contact with the ground and remain straightened until the body passes directly over it. These rules are judged by the unaided human eye. Athletes regularly lose contact for a few milliseconds per stride, which can be caught on film, but such a short flight phase is said to be undetectable to the human eye.[5]

Athletes stay low to the ground by keeping their arms pumping low, close to their hips. If one sees a racewalker's shoulders rising, it may be a sign that the athlete is losing contact with the ground. What appears to be an exaggerated swivel to the hip is, in fact, a full rotation of the pelvis. Athletes aim to move the pelvis forward and to minimize sideways motion in order to achieve maximum forward propulsion. Speed is achieved by stepping quickly with the aim of rapid turnover. This minimizes the risk of the feet leaving the ground. Strides are short and quick, with pushoff coming forward from the ball of the foot, again to minimize the risk of losing contact with the ground. World-class race walkers (male and female) can average under 4 and 5 minutes per kilometre in a 20 km race walk (12 to 15 kilometers per hour or 7.5 to 9 miles per hour).[8]

## Distances

[Shaul Ladany](/source/Shaul_Ladany) (centre), in 1969

Races have been walked at distances as short as 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) at the [1920 Summer Olympics](/source/Athletics_at_the_1920_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_3_kilometres_walk), and as long as [100 km (62.1 mi)](/source/100_kilometres_race_walk). The men's world record for the [50-mile race walk](/source/50_miles_race_walk) is held by Israeli [Shaul Ladany](/source/Shaul_Ladany), whose time of 7:23:50 in 1972 beat the world record that had stood since 1935.[9] The modern Olympic events are the [20 km (12.4 mi) race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk) (men and women) and [50 km (31 mi) race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk) (men only). One example of a longer race walking competition is the annual [Paris-Colmar](/source/Paris-Colmar) which is 450 to 500 km. Indoor races are [3000 m](/source/3000_metres_race_walk) and [5000 m](/source/5000_metres_race_walk).

## Judges

An example of a racewalker in a "flight phase" (both feet entirely out of contact with the ground, a rule violation)

There are judges on the course to monitor the form. Three judges submitting "red cards" for violations results in disqualification of the competitor. There is a scoreboard placed on the course so competitors can see their violation status. If the third violation is received, the chief judge removes the competitor from the course by showing a red paddle. For monitoring reasons, races are held on a looped course or on a track so judges get to see competitors several times during a race. A judge could also "caution" competitors in danger of losing form by showing a paddle that indicates either losing contact or bent knees. No judge may submit more than one card for each walker. The chief judge's job is only to disqualify the offending walker and may not submit any caution cards. Disqualifications are routine at the elite level, such as the famous case of [Jane Saville](/source/Jane_Saville), disqualified within sight of a gold medal in front of her home crowd in the [2000 Summer Olympics](/source/2000_Summer_Olympics), or [Lü Xiuzhi](/source/L%C3%BC_Xiuzhi), disqualified 20 metres before the finish line at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.

## Beginning

The start of the [3500 m walk](/source/Athletics_at_the_1908_Summer_Olympics_-_Men's_3500_metre_walk) final, 1908 Olympics

Race walking developed as one of the original track and field events of the first meeting of the English [Amateur Athletics Association](/source/Amateur_Athletics_Association) in 1880. The first race walking codes came from an attempt to regulate rules for popular 19th-century long-distance competitive walking events, called [pedestrianism](/source/Pedestrianism). Pedestrianism had developed, like footraces and horse racing, as a popular working class British and American pastime, and a venue for wagering. Walkers organised the first English amateur walking championship in 1866, which was won by John Chambers, and judged by the "fair heel and toe" rule. This rather vague code was the basis for the rules codified at the first Championships Meeting in 1880 of the [Amateur Athletics Association](/source/Amateur_Athletics_Association) in England, the birth of modern [athletics](/source/Track_and_field_athletics). With [football (soccer)](/source/Football_(soccer)), [cricket](/source/Cricket), and other sports codified in the 19th century, the transition from professional pedestrianism to amateur race walking was, while relatively late, part of a process of regularisation occurring in most modern sports at this time.

The Walk was included at the 1876 to 1879 [National Association of Amateur Athletes of America](/source/National_Association_of_Amateur_Athletes_of_America) Championships.[10]

## Olympics

Main article: [Race walking at the Olympics](/source/Race_walking_at_the_Olympics)

The current race walking contests at the [Summer Olympics](/source/Summer_Olympics) are the [20 kilometres race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk) (men and women) and the [marathon race walk mixed relay](/source/Marathon_race_walk_mixed_relay), the latter of which debuted at the [2024 Summer Olympics](/source/2024_Summer_Olympics). The [50 kilometres race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk) (men only) was discontinued after the [2020 Summer Olympics](/source/2020_Summer_Olympics).[11]

Race walking first appeared in the modern Olympics in 1904 in the form of a half-mile (804.672m) walk in the all-round competition, the precursor to the 10-event [decathlon](/source/Decathlon). In 1908, stand-alone 1,500m and 3,000m race walks were added, and, excluding 1924, there has been at least one race walk (for men) in every Olympics since.

Women's race walking became an Olympic event in 1992, following years of active lobbying by female internationals.

A [World Cup](/source/IAAF_World_Race_Walking_Cup) in race walking is held biennially, and race walk events appear in the [World Athletics Championships](/source/World_Athletics_Championships), the [Commonwealth Games](/source/Commonwealth_Games) and the [Pan American Games](/source/Pan_American_Games), among others.

## World Athletics Race Walking Tour

Since 2003, [World Athletics](/source/World_Athletics) has organised the [World Athletics Race Walking Tour](/source/World_Athletics_Race_Walking_Tour), an annual worldwide competition series in which elite athletes accumulate points for the right to compete in the IAAF Race Walking Challenge Final and to share over US$200,000 of prize money. The series of televised events takes place in several countries each year including Mexico, Spain, Russia and China.[12]

## Age groups

[USA Track & Field](/source/USA_Track_%26_Field) offers racewalking at the Youth, Open, All-Comers, and Masters levels.[13]

High School: Racewalking is sometimes included in high school indoor and outdoor track meets, the rules often more relaxed. The distances walked tend to be relatively short, with the 1500 m being the most commonly held event. Racing also occurs at 3 km, 5 km and 10 km, with records kept and annual rankings published.[14]

## As an individual pursuit

While participating in races essentially defines race walking, it can be practised by individuals for their own benefit, much like joggers not taking part in racing. One former jogger has written about injuries sustained while running, recommending race walking, which is much easier on the joints, instead. Requiring to have one foot in contact with the ground at all times reduces the impacts on ankles, knees, and hips that lead to running injuries.[15]

## Top performers

### Men

#### 20 km

Main article: [20 kilometres race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk)

See also: [World record progression 20km walk men](/source/World_record_progression_20km_walk_men)

#### 50 km

Main article: [50 kilometres race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk)

See also: [World record progression 50km walk men](/source/World_record_progression_50km_walk_men)

### Women

#### 20 km

Main article: [20 kilometres race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk)

See also: [World record progression 20km walk women](/source/World_record_progression_20km_walk_women)

#### 50 km

Main article: [50 kilometres race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk)

See also: [Women's 50 kilometres walk world record progression](/source/Women's_50_kilometres_walk_world_record_progression)

The women's 50 km walk is a new event, having been controversially added to the [World Athletics Championships](/source/World_Athletics_Championships) for the first time in 2017.[16] During the World Athletics Council meeting held at Monaco on 3-4 December 2024, World Athletics announced that [20 kilometres race walk](/source/20_kilometres_race_walk) would be replaced by half marathon race walk while [35 kilometres race walk](/source/35_kilometres_race_walk) (had replaced [50 kilometres race walk](/source/50_kilometres_race_walk) in 2021) would be replaced by marathon race walk, both being effective since 1 January 2026.

## In popular culture

Despite being one of the original disciplines of modern athletics, racewalking is sometimes derided as a contrived or "artificial" sport.[4] In 1992, noted [sportscaster](/source/Sportscaster) and longtime Olympic commentator [Bob Costas](/source/Bob_Costas) compared it to "a contest to see who can whisper the loudest".[17]

In *[Malcolm in the Middle](/source/Malcolm_in_the_Middle)* season 4 episode "Malcolm Holds His Tongue", Hal gets into the sport and exposes his local park rival as "nothing but a common jogger" by proving that both of his feet leave the ground once every fourth step.

In the 1966 film *[Walk, Don't Run](/source/Walk%2C_Don't_Run_(film))*, [Jim Hutton](/source/Jim_Hutton) plays a racewalker competing in the Tokyo Olympics. [Cary Grant](/source/Cary_Grant) and [Samantha Eggar](/source/Samantha_Eggar) co-star.

Irish Olympian [John Kelly](/source/John_Kelly_(racewalker)) appears briefly as a racewalker in the 1968 musical film *[Star!](/source/Star!_(film))*, starring [Julie Andrews](/source/Julie_Andrews) and [Richard Crenna](/source/Richard_Crenna).[18]

In the 2021 film *[Queenpins](/source/Queenpins)*, actress [Kristen Bell](/source/Kristen_Bell) plays a three-time gold medal Olympic racewalker and extreme couponer.

In a local Seattle sketch comedy series *[Almost Live!](/source/Almost_Live!)*, [Bill Nye](/source/Bill_Nye) played "Speed Walker", a superhero who fights crime while adhering to the standards of competitive speed-walking.

The 2025 comedy film *[Racewalkers](/source/Racewalkers)* centres on a washed-up former baseball player who begins to train as a race walker.[19]

## See also

- [Sport of athletics portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Sport_of_athletics)

- [Power walking](/source/Power_walking)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Mulkeen, Jon (May 3, 2018). ["PREVIEW: WOMEN'S 50KM RACE WALK – IAAF WORLD RACE WALKING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS TAICANG 2018"](https://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/world-race-walk-champs-2018-women-50km). *IAAF Official Website*. IAAF. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174251/https://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/world-race-walk-champs-2018-women-50km) from the original on August 30, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Wilder, Charley (June 16, 2015). ["Where Racewalking Is King, the Antidoping Officials Are Busy"](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/sports/olympics/where-racewalking-is-king-the-antidoping-officials-are-busy.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved August 20, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Tétrault-Farber, Gabrielle (January 24, 2020). ["Banned Russian race walking coach still working with athletes, official says"](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sport-doping-russia-idUSKBN1ZN1S8). *Reuters*. Retrieved August 20, 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CSM_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CSM_4-1) Eulich, Whitney (August 3, 2012). ["Wait... That's an Olympic Event?"](https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Olympics/2012/0803/Wait-that-s-an-Olympic-event). *[Christian Science Monitor](/source/Christian_Science_Monitor)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305145242/http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Olympics/2012/0803/Wait-that-s-an-Olympic-event) from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2016. The sport requires the stride-rate of an 800 to 1500-meter runner, and a race walker's endurance is the equivalent of a world-class marathoner, says Mr. Peters. "Only you're going longer."

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) Belson, Ken (August 10, 2012). ["One Step at a Time? It's More Complicated Than That"](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/sports/olympics/olympic-racewalking-is-more-complicated-than-it-seems.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170307112435/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/11/sports/olympics/olympic-racewalking-is-more-complicated-than-it-seems.html) from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["I.A.A.F.Rule 230"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080509183405/http://www.racewalkingassociation.btinternet.co.uk/Rule230.html). May 9, 2008. Archived from [the original](http://www.racewalkingassociation.btinternet.co.uk/Rule230.html) on May 9, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Iaaf.org - Race Walking - Introduction"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100322195801/http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/racewalking/). Archived from [the original](http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/racewalking/) on March 22, 2010. Retrieved 2008-08-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["100 Metres - men - senior - outdoor - 2016"](http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/). *Iaaf.org*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071231225226/http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/) from the original on December 31, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-jewishsports1_9-0)** ["Shaul Ladany"](http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/Shaul-Ladany.htm). Jewishsports.net. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20130512095933/http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/Shaul-Ladany.htm) from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** National Association of Amateur Athletes of America, 1880. [\[1\]](https://archive.org/details/constitutionbyla04nati/page/n3/mode/2up//) Retrieved Nov 19, 2022

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Mulkeen, Jon (May 3, 2018). ["PREVIEW: WOMEN'S 50KM RACE WALK – IAAF WORLD RACE WALKING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS TAICANG 2018"](https://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/world-race-walk-champs-2018-women-50km). *IAAF Official Website*. IAAF. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180830174251/https://www.iaaf.org/news/preview/world-race-walk-champs-2018-women-50km) from the original on August 30, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Iaaf.org - IAAF Race Walking Challenge"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090714000654/http://www.iaaf.org/WRC09/index.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.iaaf.org/WRC09/index.html) on July 14, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** USATF.[\[2\]](https://www.usatf.org/resources/statistics/records/american-records//) retrieved Nov 19, 2022

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Home - The Home of High School Race Walking"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100204071052/http://hsrw.net/main). January 2, 2009. Archived from the original on February 4, 2010. Retrieved 2016-08-28.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Love, Martin (October 31, 2022). ["A need for speed: if running is too risky, why not try race walking?"](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/oct/31/a-need-for-speed-if-running-is-too-risky-why-not-try-race-walking). *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-flo_16-0)** ["The IAAF Achieves Gender Parity At Worlds, But Only For Five Women"](https://www.flotrack.org/articles/5068532-the-iaaf-achieves-gender-parity-at-worlds-but-only-for-five-women). July 25, 2017. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180519121022/https://www.flotrack.org/articles/5068532-the-iaaf-achieves-gender-parity-at-worlds-but-only-for-five-women) from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** Guinto, Joseph. ["Golden Boy: Costas Now"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120813051502/http://www.americanwaymag.com/costas-now-olympics-beijing-bob-costas). *[American Way](/source/American_Way_(magazine))*. Archived from [the original](http://www.americanwaymag.com/costas-now-olympics-beijing-bob-costas) on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["John & Kati Kelly"](https://www.loughmorens.ie). Retrieved October 31, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-slotek_19-0)** Jim Slotek, ["Original-Cin Q&A: Blue Mountain, the Cancon Comedy Racewalkers and the Weirdest Olympic Sport"](https://www.original-cin.ca/posts/2025/5/28/racewalkers-canadian-comedy-about-the-weirdest-olympic-sport-debuts-at-blue-mountain-film-fest). *Original Cin*, May 28, 2025.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Race walking](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Race_walking).

- [Racewalk.com](http://www.racewalk.com/)

- [World Class Racewalking](http://www.racewalking.org/)

- [High School Race Walking](http://www.hsrw.net/)

- [Race Walking Record – News, photos and reports all about racewalking](https://web.archive.org/web/20090130005613/http://racewalkingrecord.co.uk/)

- [World Masters Race Walking Rankings](https://web.archive.org/web/20181209210014/http://www.mastersathletics.net/)

- [Race Walk UK](http://www.racewalkuk.com/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080827231943/http://www.racewalkuk.com/) August 27, 2008, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

- [Race Walk Australia](http://www.racewalkaustralia.com/)

- [The Walking Site](http://www.thewalkingsite.com/)

- [D. Guebey walking pages](http://www.dg77.net/marche)

- [Swiss Walking Federation, official website](http://www.swisswalking.org/)

- [Centurions History](https://web.archive.org/web/20130714164339/http://www.centurions1911.org.uk/History/History.htm#Centurions%20History)

- [Ohio Race Walker magazine 1965 to 2014](https://racewalk.com/ORW/ohioRaceWalker.php/)

- [USATF](https://www.usatf.org/)

- [AW Magazine's list of current records](https://athleticsweekly.com/stats/records/world-records-best-performances-mens-race-walking/)

- [USATF American Records](https://www.usatf.org/resources/statistics/records/american-records/)

v t e Athletics events Track and field Cross country running Road running Racewalking Track Sprints 40 yd 50 m 60 yd 55 m 60 m 100 yd 100 m 150 m Stadion 200 m (straight) 300 m 400 m 440 yd Hurdles 50 m 55 m 60 m 80 m 100 m 110 m 200 m (low) 300 m 400 m Middle-distance 500 m 600 m 800 m 1000 m 1500 m 1600 m One mile 2000 m 2000 m steeplechase 3000 m 3000 m steeplechase 3200 m Two miles Long-distance 5000 m 10,000 m 20,000 m One hour run Relays 4 × 100 m (mixed) 4 × 200 m 4 × 400 m (mixed) 4 × 800 m 4 × 1500 m 4 × mile Sprint medley relay Distance medley relay Swedish relay Shuttle hurdle relay Walking Mile 3000 m 5000 m 10,000 m 20,000 m Field Throws Shot put Club Discus Hammer Javelin Weight throw Softball throw Jumps High jump (standing) Pole vault (for distance) Long jump (standing) Triple jump (standing) Grenhopp and mellanhopp Combined Athletics pentathlon women's throws Hexathlon Heptathlon Octathlon Decathlon Tetradecathlon Icosathlon Road Running 5 km 10 km Quarter marathon 15 km 10 mi 20 km 25 km Half marathon Marathon 12-hour run 24-hour run Ekiden Ultramarathon Walking 10 km 20 km 35 km 50 km Marathon race walk 50 mi 100 km 6 days Marathon mixed relay Other Frame running Multiday race Wheelchair racing Backward running Sport of athletics portal • Current Olympic events shown in italics

v t e Racing Running Track running Sprinting Middle-distance running Long-distance running Relay race Hurdling Steeplechase Road running Half marathon Marathon Ultramarathon Ekiden Off-road running Cross country running Mountain running Fell running Trail running Skyrunning Other Tower running Racewalking Backward running Snowshoe running Parkour Orienteering Foot orienteering Mountain bike orienteering Ski orienteering Trail orienteering Radio orienteering Canoe orienteering Rogaining Mountain marathon Car orienteering Bicycle racing Road bicycle racing Cyclo-cross Gravel racing Mountain bike racing Track cycling (Keirin) BMX racing Cycle speedway Animal racing Camel racing Greyhound racing Horse racing Pigeon racing Sled dog racing Swimming Open water swimming Marathon swimming Paralympic swimming Climbing Speed climbing Motor racing Auto racing Drag racing Formula racing Kart racing Off-road racing Pickup truck racing Sports car racing Stock car racing Touring car racing Truck racing Motorcycle racing Beach racing Motocross Motorcycle chariot racing Rally raid Track racing Motorboat racing Drag boat racing Hydroplane racing Jet sprint boat racing Inshore powerboat racing Offshore powerboat racing Other Air racing Radio-controlled car racing Slot car racing Street racing Board racing Longboarding Sandboarding Slalom skateboarding Street luge Winter racing Alpine skiing Cross-country skiing Snowboard cross Speed skating Sledding Multi-sport racing Adventure racing Triathlon Duathlon Aquathlon List of forms of racing

v t e Walking culture Aids, groups and equipment Bematist Baby walker Crossing guard Dog walking Guide dog Pedometer Walker (mobility) Walking bus Walking stick Concepts Dromomania Hand walking Knuckle-walking Pedestrian Preferred walking speed Walkability Walking distance measure Environment and infrastructure Alley Ginnel Compact city Desire path Drovers' road Esplanade/Promenade Footpath Linear park Park Pedestrian crossing Pedestrian village Pedestrian zone Road reallocation Stile Sustainable urban infrastructure Sustainable urbanism Walking city Xiaolüren Leisure Flâneur Hiking Long-distance footpaths Mall walking Nordic walking Shatapawali Speed walking Strolling Walking tour Sport Pedestrian circumnavigators Pedestrianism Racewalking Slow marathon Walking football Walking netball Initiatives and campaigns Car-free movement Curb cut effect International Federation of Pedestrians Metrominuto New Urbanism Reclaim the Streets Pedestrian Day National Pedestrian Day Street reclamation Urban vitality Walk Safely to School Day Walkathon Walking Artists Network Walking audit Related Alternatives to car use Green transport hierarchy Living Streets Aotearoa Obesity and walking Permeability (spatial and transport planning) Photowalking Principles of intelligent urbanism Race walking Right-hook accident Sidewalk rage Societal effects of cars Transit-oriented development Walking meditation Walking track grading system

v t e World Best Year Performance in men's race walking 20 km walk 1980: Domingo Colín (MEX) 1981: Dave Smith (AUS) 1982: Willi Sawall (AUS) 1983: Jozef Pribilinec (TCH) 1984: Ernesto Canto (MEX) 1985: Dave Smith (AUS) 1986: Reima Salonen (FIN) 1987: Axel Noack (GDR) 1988: Mikhail Shchennikov (URS) 1989: Yevgeniy Misyulya (URS) 1990: Pavol Blažek (TCH) 1991: Aleksandr Pershin (URS) 1992: Stefan Johansson (SWE) 1993: Bernardo Segura (MEX) 1994: Bernardo Segura (MEX) 1995: Vladimir Andreyev (RUS) 1996: Yevgeniy Misyulya (BLR) 1997: Jefferson Pérez (ECU) 1998: Vladimir Andreyev (RUS) 1999: Julio René Martínez (GUA) 2000: Roman Rasskazov (RUS) 2001: Dmitriy Yesipchuk (RUS) 2002: Paquillo Fernández (ESP) 2003: Jefferson Pérez (ECU) 2004: Vladimir Stankin (RUS) 2005: Nathan Deakes (AUS) 2006: Li Gaobo (CHN) 2007: Vladimir Kanaykin (RUS) 2008: Sergey Morozov (RUS) 2009: Valeriy Borchin (RUS) 2010: Alex Schwazer (ITA) 2011: Wang Zhen (CHN) 2012: Alex Schwazer (ITA) 2013: Petr Trofimov (RUS) 2014: Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) 2015: Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) 2016: Eiki Takahashi (JPN) 2017: Wang Kaihua (CHN) 2018: Sergey Shirobokov (RUS) 2019: Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) 2020: Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) 2021: Wang Kaihua (CHN) 2022: Vasiliy Mizinov (ANA) 50 km walk 1980: José Marín (ESP) 1981: Uwe Dünkel (GDR) 1982: Ronald Weigel (GDR) 1983: José Marín (ESP) 1984: Ronald Weigel (GDR) 1985: Andrey Perlov (URS) 1986: Ronald Weigel (GDR) 1987: Andrey Perlov (URS) 1988: Vyacheslav Ivanenko (URS) 1989: Andrey Perlov (URS) 1990: Aleksandr Potashov (URS) 1991: Carlos Mercenario (MEX) 1992: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 1993: Jesús Ángel García (ESP) 1994: Valentí Massana (ESP) 1995: Zhao Yongsheng (CHN) 1996: Thierry Toutain (FRA) 1997: Jesús Ángel García (ESP) 1998: Andrey Plotnikov (RUS) 1999: Sergey Korepanov (KAZ) 2000: Valeriy Spitsyn (RUS) 2001: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 2002: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 2003: Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 2004: Denis Nizhegorodov (RUS) 2005: Yu Chaohong (CHN) 2006: Nathan Deakes (AUS) 2007: Alex Schwazer (ITA) 2008: Denis Nizhegorodov (RUS) 2009: Sergey Kirdyapkin (RUS) 2010: Yohann Diniz (FRA) 2011: Sergey Bakulin (RUS) 2012: Sergey Kirdyapkin (RUS) 2013: Robert Heffernan (IRL) 2014: Yohann Diniz (FRA) 2015: Matej Tóth (SVK) 2016: Yohann Diniz (FRA) 2017: Yohann Diniz (FRA) 2018: Tomohiro Noda (JPN) 2019: Masatora Kawano (JPN) 2020: Matej Tóth (SVK) 2021: Satoshi Maruo (JPN) 2022: Resham Midhun (IND)

v t e World Best Year Performance in women's race walking 10 km walk 1983: Xu Yongjiu (CHN) 1984: Olga Krishtop (URS) 1985: Yan Hong (CHN) 1986: Yelena Kuznetsova (URS) 1987: Kerry Saxby (AUS) 1988: Kerry Saxby (AUS) 1989: Alina Ivanova (URS) 1990: Kerry Saxby (AUS) 1991: Alina Ivanova (URS) 1992: Ileana Salvador (ITA) 1993: Li Chunxiu (CHN) 1994: Gao Hongmiao (CHN) 1995: Larisa Ramazanova (RUS) 1996: Yelena Nikolayeva (RUS) 1997: Irina Stankina (RUS) 1998: Olga Panfyorova (RUS) 20 km walk 1987: Kerry Saxby (AUS) 1988: Kerry Saxby (AUS) 1989: Olga Kardopoltseva (URS) 1990: Olga Kardopoltseva (URS) 1991: Marina Smyslova (URS) 1992: Tamara Romanova (EUN) 1993: Ileana Salvador (ITA) 1994: Yelena Gruzinova (RUS) 1995: Liu Hongyu (CHN) 1996: Feng Haixia (CHN) 1997: Erica Alfridi (ITA) 1998: Tatyana Sibileva (RUS) 1999: Nadezhda Ryashkina (RUS) 2000: Tatyana Gudkova (RUS) 2001: Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS) 2002: Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS) 2003: Yelena Nikolayeva (RUS) 2004: Song Hongjuan (CHN) 2005: Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS) 2006: Olga Kaniskina (RUS) 2007: Olga Kaniskina (RUS) 2008: Olga Kaniskina (RUS) 2009: Olga Kaniskina (RUS) 2010: Anisya Kirdyapkina (RUS) 2011: Vera Sokolova (RUS) 2012: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2013: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2014: Anisya Kirdyapkina (RUS) 2015: Liu Hong (CHN) 2016: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2017: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2018: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2019: Elena Lashmanova (RUS) 2020: Elvira Khasanova (RUS) 2021: Yang Jiayu (CHN) 2022: Elvira Khasanova (RUS)

Authority control databases International GND National United States France BnF data Japan Czech Republic Spain Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Race walking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_walking) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_walking?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.