Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez after winning the marathon race walk mixed relay in Paris (© Getty Images)
World 20km race walk champions Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez teamed up to win gold for Spain in the marathon race walk mixed relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday (7).
Competing in the newest athletics discipline on the Olympic programme, the Spanish duo clocked 2:50:31 to earn their second medals of the Games, following Martin's bronze and Perez's silver in the individual 20km race walk six days ago.
They won by almost a minute from Ecuador, who clocked 2:51:22 as Brian Pintado added silver to the gold he won in the men's 20km race walk. Australian duo Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag took bronze in 2:51:38.
Held in the Trocadero area of Paris with the course looping underneath the Eiffel Tower, the race was close for the first half. Spain, led off by Martin, was part of a lead group of five for the first leg. With the leaders passing through 10km in 38:15, Germany’s Christopher Linke got to the first hand off in pole position, covering the 11.4km stage in 43:32, just ahead of Martin, Pintado, Japan’s Masatora Kawano and Brazil’s Caio Bonfim, the individual 20km silver medallist.
Kimberly Garcia, the double 2022 world champion, put Peru in contention by making up a 40-second deficit in the first half of her 10km leg, drawing level with Perez and Italy’s Antonella Palmisano, the Olympic 20km champion three years ago.
Australia’s Montag and China’s Yang Jiayu, the Olympic 20km champion, also produced a strong effort on the second leg. At the end of the second leg, Australia held a narrow lead from China, Mexico and Peru with Ecuador and Spain a few seconds behind. Palmisano, meanwhile, had drifted back.
Just one kilometre into the third leg, Martin and Pintado were back at the front of the pack, a stride ahead of Australia’s Cowley. Peru, China and Mexico were all close behind. Five kilometres into the penultimate leg, Pintado and Martin were still side by side, 19 seconds ahead of Italy’s Massimo Stano, the 20km champion in Tokyo three years ago.
Martin managed to open up a bit of distance on Pintado in the final two kilometres of his leg, giving teammate Perez a three-second lead from Ecuador’s Glenda Morejon. Palmisano, meanwhile, started her leg in third place, 20 seconds ahead of Australia’s Montag.
Perez extended Spain’s lead over Ecuador with each lap on the final leg. The real drama was happening further behind, though. Half way through the final 10.8km stage, Palmisano was caught by Montag and then by Garcia.
There was no catching Perez, though, who went on to cross the line unopposed in 2:50:31, having covered the final stage in 45:51. Morejon held on to the silver medal position, crossing the line in 2:51:22 while Montag matched Perez’s split time to secure bronze for Australia in 2:51:38.
Peru placed fourth in 2:51:56, while Mexico’s Algena Gonzalez produced the fastest split of the final stage – 45:25, 42:03 pace for 10km – to finish fifth. Italy (2:53:52), Brazil (2:54:08) and Japan (2:55:40) rounded out the top eight.
Victory marked symbolic moments for both Martin and Perez.
"It was an incredible race because we knew that it would be very hard to get another Olympic medal," said Martin. "But I was with Maria, and she did the best that she could. This is amazing, this is history - not only for us but for Spanish race walking.
"I'm 30 now, and in four years' time I'll be 34, so I know this will be my last Olympic Games," added Martin. "I came here without an Olympic medal and now, thanks to Maria, I'll return to Spain with two."
Perez, meanwhile, has made Spanish athletics history.
"I feel very special because that triple crown (world, European and Olympic gold) is the first time that it has been achieved by a Spanish athlete," she said. "And I'm fortunate enough to have shared it with Alvaro."
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
| MARATHON RACE WALK MIXED RELAY MEDALLISTS | ||
| 🥇 | Alvaro Martin / Maria Perez (ESP) | 2:50:31 |
| 🥈 | Brian Daniel Pintado / Glenda Morejon (ECU) | 2:51:22 |
| 🥉 | Rhydian Cowley / Jemima Montag (AUS) | 2:51:38 |
| Full results | ||
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