Paula Torres wins in Brasilia (© World Athletics 
Oscar Munoz Badilla)
Ecuador’s Paula Torres achieved the biggest victory of her career so far when winning the women’s marathon – and the team title – at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 on Sunday (12).
Much like men’s marathon winner Hayato Katsuki, Torres made an early break from the rest of the field and built up an insurmountable leading margin. The world bronze medallist finished in 3:24:37 – the second-fastest time ever recorded for the new race-walking distance.
With four finishers in the top nine – including third-place finisher Nathaly Leon – Ecuador also took gold in the team standings. Italy’s 21-year-old Sofia Fiorini took individual and team silver.
Torres came into the championships as one of the favourites, though the 25-year-old was making her debut at the distance and contesting the longest race of her career so far, so was venturing into the unknown.
She showed no fear, though, as she broke away in the first kilometre. No one in the rest of the field had any interest in going with the Ecuadorian so early into the race, and they allowed her to pull away with each lap.
At one point, Torres’ lead over the rest of the field was up to three minutes. In the second half, the chase pack realised they had their work cut out to catch Torres and so started to ramp up the pace.
At about 24km, home favourite Viviane Lyra had formed a chase trio alongside Fiorini and her Italian teammate Eleonora Giorgi. But just moments later, with about two hours on the clock, the Italian duo managed to drop Lyra as the Brazilian started to show signs of fatigue.
After another 10 kilometres of racing, Torres’ lead was still huge. Fiorini, meanwhile, had managed to break away from Giorgi.
With each lap, Torres’ victory became more and more certain. Giorgi’s hopes of a podium finish faded when she had to spend a four-minute stint in the penalty zone after picking up her third red card.
Fiorini pushed hard in the closing kilometres and made up a bit of ground on the long-time leader, but there was no catching Torres, who won in 3:24:37 – just 18 seconds shy of the fastest performance on record so far for the distance.
Fiorini held on to second place in a PB of 3:25:42 while Nathaly Leon made it two Ecuadorians on the podium, finishing third in 3:31:47. Italy’s Federica Curiazzi was fourth and Lyra placed fifth. Giorgi came through for seventh, giving Italy three scorers in the top seven, but Karla Jaramillo’s eighth place finish gave Ecuador just enough points to triumph ahead of Italy.
Much to the delight of the home fans, Brazil claimed bronze – their first ever team medal at these championships.
Four years ago, when the 35km made its debut – and, indeed, only appearance – at the World Race Walking Team Championships, the individual and team titles also went to Ecuador as Glenda Morejon triumphed.
Today in Brasilia, history repeated itself as Ecuador secured the individual and team crowns at a new distance, this time thanks to Paula Torres.
She becomes just the third Ecuadorian athlete to win at the World Race Walking Team Championships, after three-time winner Jefferson Perez – who was holding the finish-line ribbon here in Brasilia – and 2022 35km winner Morejon.
"The race started very slow and I did not want to take risks," said Torres. "I knew I was in shape to increase the pace so I made a move after the second lap. I had to stay patient and focused on the athletes behind me.
"I'm excited to keep the South American winning streak for women in this race. I felt the support from Ecuadorian and Latin American fans throughout the course. I felt very motivated. We are characterised by a spirit of struggle and sacrifice and I demonstrated that today."
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
| WOMEN'S MARATHON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS | ||
| 🥇 | Paula Torres (ECU) | 3:24:37 |
| 🥈 | Sofia Fiorini (ITA) | 3:25:42 |
| 🥉 | Nathaly Leon (ECU) | 3:31:47 |
| 4 | Federica Curiazzi (ITA) | 3:32:21 |
| 5 | Viviane Lyra (BRA) | 3:34:53 |
| Full results | ||
| WOMEN'S MARATHON TEAM RESULTS | ||
| 🥇 | Ecuador | 12 |
| 🥈 | Italy | 13 |
| 🥉 | Brazil | 28 |
| Full results | ||
