Italy's Massimo Stano wins the inaugural 35km race walk title in Oregon (Getty Images)

35 Kilometres Race Walk

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The 35km race walk is a road event where athletes walk for the duration on the looped circuit. It’s the longest of the two championship race walking distances.

The 35km race walk is a long-distance event, but it differs from running events. This is because the rules state that athletes must have at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times. Plus, the rules also stipulate that the advancing leg must straighten from the point it touches the ground until it passes under the body.

Race walking originates from 17th century Great Britain, when footmen had to walk swiftly alongside their masters’ coaches
The aristocracy would stake wagers on which of their footmen would win a race, which would last for up to six days
The event first appeared at the Olympics in 1904, when it was part of a 10-event ‘all-around championship’
The 35km race walk isn’t an Olympic event, but it does appear at the World Athletics Championships
Currently, the 20km event is the only race walk at the Olympic Games
The 2022 World Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat saw the debut of the 35km race walk as a championship event

35km race walk world record

The 35km race replaced the 50km event as a standard championship discipline in 2022. That means the event is still relatively new, and world records have only been officially recognised since January 2023.

Women’s 35km race walk world record

The current women’s 35km race walk world record holder is Spanish athlete María Pérez, who achieved a time of 2:37:15 in May 2023.

Men’s 35km race walk world record

When the 35km became an official discipline, World Athletics announced that the men’s world record would be recognised as and when an athlete produces a ratifiable time inside 2:22, but that is yet to happen

Russia’s Vladimir Kanaykin clocked 2:21:31 for the distance back in 2006, but all the conditions needed for a world record were not met in that race. The next best time is 2:22:53, achieved by China’s He Xianghong in March 2023.

35km race walkers

When the 50km race walk was replaced as a championship event by the 35km race walk in 2022, many athletes also made the switch to the 35km event. As a result, the 35km race walk doesn’t yet have a long history.

Italian athlete Massimo Stano won the first men’s gold medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. Then, at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Spanish athlete Álvaro Martín took home the gold and Ecuador’s Brian Daniel Pintado took home the silver.

In the women’s event, Peruvian athlete Kimberly Garcia León took home the gold medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships and the silver medal at the 2023 championships. She was denied consecutive victories by Spain’s María Pérez.

35km race walk technique

A specific technique is required for the 35km race walk. If at any point an athlete is not observed to be race walking (such as if at least one foot isn’t touching the ground), the athlete will receive a warning from a judge. If a race walker is shown three warnings, it leads to a time penalty.

There are a number of techniques and phases that a 35km race walk can be broken into:

Start

Athletes start in a standing position. The start of the race begins with the call of ‘on your marks’ followed by the firing of the pistol.

Initial laps

When the race begins, athletes start race walking steadily, ensuring at least one foot is on the ground at all times. Athletes swing their hips around so one foot is placed in front of the other, with the leading leg straight from the moment it touches the floor, until the point it becomes vertical.

Mid-race

Race walkers typically maintain a set pace, ensuring they keep up with other athletes. They may also use an occasional burst of speed to pull away from competitors. Because athletes are moving fast for more than two hours, it’s important that they conserve as much energy as possible for the latter stages of the race,

Pacemakers aren’t typically used in race walking and athletes set their own pace. This is often a slightly slower pace than race walkers in a 20km race walk as this slower pace helps conserve energy for the final laps.

Final lap

During the final lap, athletes will push to use the last of their energy to pick up speed and pull away from their competitors. Athletes must take great care to maintain correct race walking technique within the rules.

35km race walking rules

To ensure athletes race walk within the rules, there are several 35km race walking rules, which is why focusing on correct technique is so important.

Athletes start the race in a standing position
Athletes must remain in contact with the ground with one foot at all times throughout the race
The leading leg must be straightened from the moment it first touches the ground until it passes under the body
The race winner is the athlete whose torso crosses the finish line first

Depending on the size of the circuit, a race walk has between five and nine judges. Judges use the naked eye to observe and make sure athletes abide by the rules.

Judges inspect the race and carry paddles with symbols for loss of contact or a bent knee. If a race walker receives three red cards from three different judges they will enter the penalty zone for 3.30 mins. A fourth red card will result in a disqualification.

35km race walk FAQs

Is 35km race walking in the Olympics??

The 35km race walk is not an event at the Olympic Games. The race walk events at the Olympics are the men’s and women’s 20km and the marathon race walk mixed relay.

The 35km and 20km race walk are both events in World Athletics competitions. The 2022 World Race Walking Team Championships in Muscat saw the debut of the 35km as a championship event, after the new distance was included in the programme for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, replacing the 50km.

What is the history of race walking at the Olympics?

Race walking first appeared at the Olympics in 1904, when a half-mile race was part of the 10-event ‘all-around championship’.

Following this, individual races, initially over short distances, were introduced at the Intercalated Games of 1906. After this, apart from at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, race walking has been a fixture at Olympic Games and World Championships ever since.

The men’s 50km race walk became part of the Olympic schedule in 1932.

What are the benefits of race walking?

Race walking is an accessible long-distance event, similiar to long distance running.

There are plenty of benefits to race walking, including:

Improved cardiovascular health
Improved endurance
Greater strength and tone
Weight loss and management
Mental wellbeing
Improved balance

What is the fastest race walk mile?

The fastest ever mile in a race walk is 5:31.

How to get into race walking

Race walking is something that almost anyone can pick up, regardless of their level of fitness or experience. There’s less stress on the body and joints but it’s still a great way to keep fit and stay healthy. To get into race walking, you should consider the following:

Learn the correct way to race walk, including keeping at least one foot in contact with the ground at all times and your leading leg straight when it touches the ground
Start with slower, shorter walks and gradually increase your speed and distance as you progress
Look for local clubs and groups in your area
Incorporate other forms of exercise into your training and eat a balanced diet that will help you improve your overall fitness levels
Understand what race judges are looking for When you’re ready, consider taking part in local and national race walk events

Is race walking harder than running?

In some ways, race walking is harder than running, but in other ways, it is more accessible.

When you use the correct race walking technique, it’s far kinder to joints and there’s less risk of injury.

The technique itself can be tricky to get the hang of, and it can be easy to accidentally transition into a run.

Is race walking good for you?

Yes, race walking has many health benefits, which means it’s a great form of exercise which is far more accessible than long-distance running.

Not only does race walking help boost your endurance, strength and overall fitness, it can have a major positive impact on your weight, balance and mental health.