Toshikazu Yamanishi wins the Japanese 20km Race Walking Championships (© JAAF)
One of the most emblematic streets in Spain, Gran Vía, will be the venue for the Gran Premio Internacional Madrid Marcha Silbö Telecom – the sixth Gold event of this season’s World Athletics Race Walking Tour – on Sunday (1).
The men’s and women’s 10km races, which will be held at the same time over a one-kilometre circuit, feature race walkers from more than 15 different countries.
Two-time world champion Toshikazu Yamanishi is arguably the marquee athlete in the men’s race. The world record-holder, who is the defending champion in Madrid, also won over 20km in Warsaw earlier this month, beating Brazil’s Olympic silver medallist Caio Bonfim, who’s also in attendance in Madrid.
Following his third spot in 2022 and his runner-up place the following year, 34-year-old Bonfim will be eager to finally take the highest step of the podium. The world bronze medallist is having a busy 2025 season, having competed over 20km five times already this year, topped by his 1:17:37 victory in Kobe.
Italy’s Francesco Fortunato, the Madrid winner in 2023, should also be a factor. The European 20km bronze medallist is in the form of his life having set a world indoor record at 5000m, plus PBs at 10,000m and 20km. He also finished second at the European Team Championships in Podebrady two weeks ago in a lifetime best of 1:18:16, finishing second to Spain’s Paul McGrath, who has withdrawn from Sunday’s race because of some discomfort in his hamstring.
Chinese athletes will be out in force, led by Qian Haifeng and Li Chenjie, who finished third and fourth respectively in Taicang in March with PBs of 1:17:58 and 1:18:04. Zhang Jun, who took fifth there in a season’s best of 1:18:09, will also be racing on Sunday. Other potential contenders are Huang Peiyang (1:18:49), Hu Xuanfei (1:18:51), Zhou Yingchen (1:19:01) and Li Lin (1:19:03).
The never-ending list of top race walkers gathered in Madrid also includes Canada’s former world 35km record-holder Evan Dunfee, Australia’s Declan Tingay and Spanish duo Álvaro López, fresh from a 20km PB of 1:19:38 in Podebrady, and two-time European 20km medallist Diego García, who’ll be combining roles as organiser and athlete for the fourth year in a row.
Watch out too for Ethiopia’s Olympic 20km sixth-place finisher Misganaw Wakuma, following a massive 20km PB of 1:18:32 in the altitude of Addis Ababa three weeks ago. Germany’s Christopher Linke proved to be in top form in Podebrady as he finished second in a 35km national record of 2:23:21.
The women’s race should also be wide-open. The Chinese contingent is led by Shi Yuxia, who improved her 20km PB to 1:27:41 in Taicang earlier this year. Five other Chinese women who finished inside 1:30 in that race will also be in Madrid: Peng Li (1:29:16), 2019 world 20km bronze medallist Yang Liujing (1:29:30), Zhuoma Renqing (1:29:33), Wang Na (1:29:35) and Jiang Yunyan (1:29:36).
But the big surprise could come from the world U20 10,000m champion Baima Zhuoma, who’ll be contesting her first race of 2025.
Their stiffest opposition should come from Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez, a top-eight finisher at all major championships since 2022. She failed to finish over 35km in Dudince on her debut over the distance but she bounced back over 5000m with a swift 21:22.66 in April.
Peru’s Evelyn Inga, an eighth-place finisher over 20km at the Paris Olympics, should also be in contention, as should in-form French race walker Clemence Beretta, who was runner-up in Podebrady with a national record of 1:28:05. Spanish 20km champion Antia Chamosa and 2022 European 35km silver medallist Raquel González lead the home charge.
Before the races get under way, María Vasco, the first Spanish woman to earn an Olympic medal in athletics, will receive a warm tribute to mark the 25th anniversary of her Olympic bronze medal.
Weather forecasters predict a sunny and hot day, with the temperature about 28C by the time of the event.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
