Toshikazu Yamanishi (© JAAF / Ikumi Kodama)
Japan's Toshikazu Yamanishi clocked a world record of 1:20:34* at the Japanese Half Marathon Race Walking Championships – a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze meeting – in Kobe on Sunday (15).
It is the first performance that surpasses the inaugural world record standard of 1:21:30 that was approved by the World Athletics Council in December, following the announcement that the half marathon and marathon would become the official senior road distances for race walking events.
On his 30th birthday, Yamanishi gave himself the present of an inaugural world half marathon race walk record as he strode away from a leading group shortly after 17km and passed the 20km mark in 1:16:26 – only 16 seconds outside the world record for the 20km race walk he set on the same course last year.
With one lap now added on, the two-time world champion accelerated again to win by a clear margin in 1:20:34.
More to follow...
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
