WCH Tokyo 25 brushstroke (© World Athletics)
Last three sets of World Athletics Championships medallists
2023: 1 María Pérez (ESP) 2:38:40, 2 Kimberly García Leon (PER) 2:40:52, 3 Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) 2:43:22
2022: 1 Kimberly García Leon (PER) 2:39:16, 2 Katarzyna Zdziebło (POL) 2:40:03, 3 Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) 2:40:37
2019 (50km): 1 Liang Rui (CHN) 4:23:26, 2 Li Maocuo (CHN) 4:26:40, 3 Eleonora Giorgi (ITA) 4:29:13
Fastest winning time in World Athletics Championships history
2:38:40 - María Pérez (ESP), 2023
Slowest winning time in World Athletics Championships history
2:39:16 - Kimberly García Leon (PER), 2022
Best marks on Japanese soil
2:38:42 - 1 Liu Hong (CHN) Wajima 16.04.2023
2:42:40 - 1 Olivia Sandery (AUS) Nomi 16.03.2025
2:44:11 - 1 Kumiko Okada (JPN) Wajima 16.04.2023
Best marks on Asian soil
2:38:42 - 1 Liu Hong (CHN) Wajima 16.04.2023
2:40:49 - 1 Ma Li (CHN) Hefei 29.03.2025
2:40:59 - 1 Bai Yueying (CHN) Huangshan 04.03.2023
Biggest winning margin
2:12 – 2023: María Pérez (ESP) 2:38:40 / Kimberly García Leon (PER) 2:40:52
Smallest winning margin
0:47 – 2022: Kimberly García Leon (PER) 2:39:16 / Katarzyna Zdziebło (POL) 2:40:03
Multiple winners
None
Winners by country (35km/50km race walk)
1 - Portugal
1 - China
1 - Peru
1 - Spain
Five historic facts
• The 35km race walk was added to the programme at the 2022 World Championships, replacing the 50km race walk which was a medal event in 2017 and 2019
• Kimberly Garcia-Leon (PER) became Peru’s first ever world champion in Oregon in 2022 when she swept the 20km and 35km race walk titles
• Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) became the oldest woman to win a medal in a track/road event in World Championships history when she won bronze in 2023 at 39y/146d
• There were identical 1-2-3s in the 20km and 35km race walk events in Oregon in 2022
• Only seven athletes lined up for the 50km race walk in London in 2017. By contrast, 50 athletes from 22 countries have registered for the 35km race walk in Tokyo
Potential storylines
• After winning the 20km and 35km race walk titles in Budapest in 2023, Maria Perez (ESP) is aiming to win her third world title in the 35km
• Antonella Palmisano (ITA) is aiming to win her second global title in Japan after winning the Olympic 20km race walk title in 2021. She won Olympic gold in Tokyo on her birthday
• Antigoni Ntrismpioti (GRE) has set world V40 records in both the 20km (1:29:16) and 35km (2:47:42 race walk this year
