Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles has been announced for the Ostrava Golden Spike, where the US sprinter is set to contest the 150m at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting on 16 June.
Lyles &ndash; who will be making his first appearance at the Czech meeting &ndash; is aiming to break the world best for the distance of 14.92 which was set recently by Kishane Thompson, the Jamaican who finished second to Lyles in the 2024 Olympic 100m final.
The meeting will also welcome back Gianmarco Tamberi, the 2021 Olympic and 2023 world champion. The Italian high jumper won in Ostrava in 2022 and is set to return for his fourth appearance at the meeting, where he is due to face Czech high jumper Jan &Scaron;tefela.
Other athletes announced for Ostrava include 100m hurdlers Tobi Amusan, Devynne Charlton and Nadine Visser, pole vaulters Emmanouil Karalis and Katie Moon, 1000m hopeful Josh Hoey and European silver medallist Mohammed Attaoui, plus javelin throwers Anderson Peters and Adriana Vilagos.
Home athletes Karol&iacute;na Maňasov&aacute;, Lurdes Gloria Manuel, Am&aacute;lie &Scaron;v&aacute;b&iacute;kov&aacute;, Tom&aacute;&scaron; Staněk and Nikola Ogrodn&iacute;kov&aacute; are also among those named in the line-up.

Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles has been announced for the Ostrava Golden Spike

Lyles set for 150m in Ostrava

Multiple global gold medallists will compete in Africa over the next two weeks as the World Athletics Continental Tour heats up ahead of the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26.
A record number of meetings feature in this year&rsquo;s Continental Tour calendar, with several nations hosting Continental Tour events for the first time. They include Ethiopia, which welcomes athletes for the Addis Ababa Grand Prix on 18 April.
From there, the next Gold level meeting &ndash; the Kip Keino Classic &ndash; will return to Nairobi in Kenya on 24 April, before the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone on 26 April and the Simbine Classic in Pretoria, South Africa, on 28 April.
World-class athletics will then return to Botswana at the start of next month as Gaborone hosts the World Athletics Relays on 2-3 May.
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<h3 style="color: #ff873c;"><a style="color: #ff873c;" href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Where to watch</a></h3>
 The Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 and certain World Athletics Continental Tour meetings will be streamed live in a number of territories on <a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics+</a>, as well as via broadcasters around the world.
Check out the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/watch/live" target="_blank" rel="noopener">watch live</a> page for the latest information.
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USA&rsquo;s treble Olympic champion Gabby Thomas is among the stars set to compete in multiple of those Continental Tour meetings.
The 29-year-old &ndash; who gained 200m, 4x100m and 4x400m gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games &ndash; will be joined in Addis Ababa by her compatriot Dalilah Muhammad, the 2016 Olympic and 2019 world 400m hurdles gold medallist, plus 2022 world indoor 60m hurdles champion Cyr&eacute;na Samba-Mayela of France.
Canada&rsquo;s Camryn Rogers will be among the athletes headlining the Kip Keino Classic as the Olympic and world champion defends her hammer title. She has started her season in superb style, throwing 81.13m to improve her own North American record at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays presented by Truist, a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger event, in Austin, USA, at the start of this month.
Thomas and Muhammad will take to the track again for the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, where they will be joined by the likes of Canada&rsquo;s two-time Olympic gold medallist Andre De Grasse, South Africa&rsquo;s world 400m record-holder Wayde van Niekerk and Kenya&rsquo;s African 100m record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala.
A competitive 300m clash has been announced for the Simbine Classic &ndash; a meeting held in partnership with South African 100m record-holder Akani Simbine. In the 300m, Zambia&rsquo;s Olympic 400m bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga will take on a field featuring the likes of South Africa&rsquo;s Zakithi Nene and Lythe Pillay.
The Continental Tour is divided into four levels &ndash; Gold, Silver, Bronze and Challenger. The status of each meeting is determined by the quality of competition and prize money on offer.
Athletes from at least 30 countries across all continental areas will compete in each of the upcoming Gold, Silver and Bronze meetings in Nairobi, Gaborone, Pretoria and Addis Ababa.
The Addis Ababa Grand Prix is the first ever one-day meeting to be held in Ethiopia and is expecting 30,000 fans to attend.
The expansion of the Continental Tour calendar reflects the work done by the World Athletics Competitions and Events Department to develop a Continental Tour structure in Africa. The Continental Tour has been embraced by the African athletics community, with a key element the opportunity it offers athletes to collect valuable world ranking points close to home.
More than 290 meetings are included in <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-continental-tour/calendar-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this year&rsquo;s Continental Tour calendar</a>, which runs through to November.
<h3>Upcoming Continental Tour meetings in Africa</h3>
18 April: Addis Ababa Grand Prix, Addis Ababa (ETH) &ndash; Bronze 24 April: Kip Keino Classic, Nairobi (KEN) &ndash; Gold 26 April: Botswana Golden Grand Prix, Gaborone (BOT) &ndash; Silver 28 April: Simbine Classic, Pretoria (RSA) &ndash; Silver
&nbsp;

Multiple global gold medallists will compete in Africa over the next two weeks as the World Athletics Continental Tour heats up ahead of the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26.

From Addis Ababa to Pretoria – global champions head to Africa for Continental Tour

First edition of World Athletics Ultimate Championship will showcase global gold medallists while supporting their off-track passions 
Global sprint superstars Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Letsile Tebogo have been announced as Ultimate Stars for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, confirming they will be competing at the inaugural edition of the new global championship with 150 days to go until the event kicks off.
Bragging rights are on the line, and not just with the goal of becoming Ultimate Champions through their individual performances. At the event, which takes place in Budapest from 11-13 September, Jefferson-Wooden and Tebogo will serve as team captains for the Kids&rsquo; Athletics Ultimate Challenge.
&ldquo;Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Letsile Tebogo are two of our sport&rsquo;s biggest stars and we are excited they are committed to the Ultimate Championship,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. &ldquo;We are also proud to work with them to connect the event to their individual passions outside of competition. The Ultimate is all about elevating the profile of our sport and its heroes, both on the track and off, and that includes creating opportunities for athletes to showcase all aspects of their personalities and interests.&rdquo;
While the Ultimate Championship is centred on the singularity of the best of the best, the path to becoming a global champion is one both athletes recognise as needing the support of a broader team, a love of sport, and a deep well of inspiration. In this way, the two will act as team leaders and mentors during the Kids&rsquo; Athletics Ultimate Challenge, where youth from across Budapest will be invited to participate in an on-site activation at the Zsivotzky Gyula National Athletics Centre the day before competition begins.
Jefferson-Wooden earned three gold medals at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, taking the top podium spot in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m. The US athlete was also the silver medallist in the 100m at the 2024 Olympic Games.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited to compete for the Ultimate Championship,&rdquo; said Jefferson-Wooden. &ldquo;Having the opportunity to bring together my passions for track and field and community means everything to me. I&rsquo;ve always said I&rsquo;m a &lsquo;village kid,&rsquo; and I take so much pride in the people who have supported me every step of the way. This is the perfect intersection of track, community, and pouring into the next generation &ndash; and that brings me so much joy.&rdquo;
Botswana&rsquo;s Tebogo was the gold medallist in the 200m at the Olympic Games in 2024. That was the same year he was named World Athlete of the Year. He has been a Kids&rsquo; Athletics ambassador since early 2025.
"I have had such a good experience as a Kids&rsquo; Athletics ambassador and I couldn&rsquo;t be more excited to be a part of the Kids&rsquo; Athletics Ultimate Challenge as part of the Ultimate Championship,&rdquo; said Tebogo. &ldquo;Being the best in the world doesn&rsquo;t just mean winning gold medals. There is a responsibility to give back, and to show young people the power that sport can have in all our lives.&rdquo;
Just last week, both athletes were <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/gaborone26/news/press-releases/jefferson-wooden-tebogo-kids-athletics-ambassadors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named as Kids&rsquo; Athletics ambassadors for 2026</a>. They will be on hand at next month&rsquo;s Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, where they will lead an activation with local children. Kids&rsquo; Athletics is an initiative that uses the power of athletics to inspire children around the world to be more active.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is set to transform the athletics calendar and settle the debate over which athlete is the best of the best every two years &ndash; pitting world champions, Olympic champions, Wanda Diamond League winners, and this year&rsquo;s top-ranked athletes against each other to crown the champion of champions.
Learn more about the Ultimate Championship <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-ultimate-championship/2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>, and about Kids&rsquo; Athletics by exploring the  <a href="https://worldathletics.org/kids-athletics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kids&rsquo; Athletics website</a>.&nbsp;

World Athletics Ultimate Championship

First edition of World Athletics Ultimate Championship will showcase global gold medallists while supporting their off-track passions

Jefferson-Wooden and Tebogo named Ultimate Stars and team captains for Ultimate Challenge

There&rsquo;s 150 days to go until the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, when the world&rsquo;s best athletes will converge on the Hungarian capital to be crowned inaugural champions.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8C-glE4fy4w?si=4ZPQbnJXPZO982xn" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
To mark the milestone, we look at the numbers that will define the first-ever hosting of the athletics showpiece&hellip; 
<h2>1</h2>
Each final will crown one Ultimate Champion &ndash; the best of the best. And while we&rsquo;re on the No.1, there&rsquo;s one <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-ultimate-championship/2026/news/press-releases/usain-bolt-ultimate-legend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ultimate Legend in Usain Bolt</a>, who was unveiled at the official launch on the eve of last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Tokyo. 
<h2>2</h2>
The newest event on the global sporting calendar will take place every two years, meaning the next one is scheduled for 2028 in the aftermath of the Los Angeles Olympics. 
<h2>3</h2>
In all, there will be three days of competition from 11-13 September and each of those days will involve a horizontal jump, a throwing event and track finals.&nbsp;As well as crowing new champions in the sport,&nbsp;three fans will also battle in Budapest as the&nbsp;<a href="https://betheultimatefan.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Ultimate Fan Challenge</a>&nbsp;reaches its climax.&nbsp; 
<h2>8</h2>
The field events on the schedule will boast eight competitors in each line-up. For the men, that&rsquo;s the high jump, pole vault, long jump, hammer and javelin. For the women, the only field change is the triple jump instead of the hammer throw. Those field events will all be straight finals. 
<h2>11 September</h2>
The date when the event kicks off. It runs through to 13 September. 
<h2>26</h2>
That&rsquo;s the number of Olympic champions who have already qualified for the event. In addition to that, there are 18 world champions from Tokyo who have booked their flights to Hungary. To that will be added the relevant 25 Diamond League winners in the individual events as well as the remaining top ranked athletes in 2026.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/66b12b4d3b4bba6b2abdb529.jpg" alt="Mondo Duplantis at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games" />
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Mondo Duplantis in the pole vault at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (&copy; Dan Vernon)
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<h2>28</h2>
There are 28 events on the schedule. On the track, individually it&rsquo;s the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m and both hurdles, while there&rsquo;s also the mixed relays for both the 4x100m and 4x400m. In most individual track events, there&rsquo;s semifinals and the top four from each make it through to the final. The 1500m, 5000m and relay races will be straight finals. 
<h2>14,000</h2>
The capacity of the Zsivotzky Gyula National Athletics Centre in Budapest for the Ultimate Championship. The venue also hosted the World Athletics Championships in 2023. 
<h2>150,000</h2>
In US dollars, that&rsquo;s the top prize for each Ultimate Champion in the individual events, while the relay team winners share out a pot of $80,000. Back to the individual events, the second-place finisher will pocket $75,000 while the final athlete on the podium will earn $40,000. The prize pot &ndash; the richest in the sport &ndash; totals a whopping $10million in all.

There’s 150 days to go until the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, when the world’s best athletes will converge on the Hungarian capital to be crowned inaugural champions.

World Athletics Ultimate Championship in numbers

The NN Marathon Rotterdam has been officially recognised for its outstanding contribution to the history and development of international road running with the presentation of the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/heritage-plaques" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Heritage Plaque</a>.
The unveiling took place on 12 April, marking the event&rsquo;s 45th edition and celebrating a race that has been a cornerstone of the global marathon circuit since its inception in 1981. From its humble beginnings with just 200 participants in its first year, the Rotterdam Marathon has grown into a massive international event, becoming the 115th recipient of the plaque and the fourth in the Netherlands.
Renowned for its flat, lightning-fast course and enthusiastic crowds, Rotterdam has long been a stage for historic performances. The streets of the Dutch city have witnessed three world bests, including landmark runs by Carlos Lopes (2:07:12 in 1985) and Tegla Loroupe, who set a women&rsquo;s world best of 2:20:47 in 1998.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69dcce3d013548d28da79c54.jpg" alt="Belayneh Dinsamo in Rotterdam" />
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Belayneh Dinsamo in Rotterdam (&copy; Rotterdam Marathon)
Among these, the event was the site of the longest-standing world best in the history of the men's marathon. Belayneh Dinsamo&rsquo;s stunning 2:06:50, achieved in 1988, remained unbeaten for more than a decade, a testament to the exceptional quality of the Rotterdam course and its place in athletics lore. While marathon world records were only officially ratified by World Athletics starting from 1 January 2004, these 'world best' performances in Rotterdam remain among the most iconic milestones in the sport's history.
Beyond the elite vanguard, the race is defined by its deep cultural roots and the legendary atmosphere at the finish line on the Coolsingel, in front of the historic City Hall. A unique tradition that captures the heart of the event is the pre-race performance of You'll Never Walk Alone, a ritual started by singer Lee Towers in 1995 that remains the emotional anthem for every runner standing on the start line.
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69dcce79013548d28da79c57.jpg" alt="NN Marathon Rotterdam" />
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NN Marathon Rotterdam (&copy; Golazo)
"The World Athletics Heritage Plaque awarded to the Rotterdam Marathon is richly deserved, marking the event&rsquo;s 45th edition and recognising its outstanding contribution to the history and development of road running since it was first organised in 1981," said&nbsp;World Athletics Council Member Sylvia Barlag, who made the presentation.
"The plaque celebrates not only Rotterdam&rsquo;s stunning elite race, which has witnessed the world bests of Carlos Lopes, Belayneh Dinsamo and Tegla Loroupe, but that this internationally renowned event annually attracts tens of thousands of recreational runners who take part in the full marathon, kids&rsquo; races, the marathon walks and the city run."
Wim Nuyts, Business Unit Director, expressed the pride of the organising committee in receiving the prestigious award.
"We are extremely proud and honoured that the NN Marathon Rotterdam has been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque," said Nuyts. "This recognition is a wonderful acknowledgment of the marathon&rsquo;s long-standing contribution to the history and development of road running, both nationally and internationally. This award belongs to all those who have shaped the NN Marathon Rotterdam over the years: athletes, volunteers, partners, supporters and the city of Rotterdam itself. They created a memorable experience with a rich heritage and a strong future."
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition which highlights, celebrates and links together iconic and historic athletics competitions, careers, performances, cities, venues, landmarks and culture around the world.
Pierre-Jean Vazel for World Athletics Heritage
&nbsp;
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The NN Marathon Rotterdam has been officially recognised for its outstanding contribution to the history and development of international road running

NN Marathon Rotterdam honoured with World Athletics Heritage Plaque

Ethiopia&rsquo;s Shure Demise broke the course record at the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris &ndash; a World Athletics Gold Label road race &ndash;&nbsp;on Sunday (12), while Italy&rsquo;s Yemaneberhan Crippa secured a hard-fought victory in the men&rsquo;s race.
Demise produced a decisive break in the closing stages to win in 2:18:34, taking more than a minute off the previous course record of 2:19:48.
A lead pack of six passed 10km in 33:05 and reached halfway in 1:09:37. The pace lifted in the second half and, by 30km (1:38:54), the lead group had been reduced to five: Demise, Enatnesh Tirusew, Sharon Chelimo, Misgane Alemayehu and Magdalyne Masai.
The quintet stayed together for several kilometres before Demise made her move, covering the second half in 1:08:57 to secure victory. Alemayehu finished second in 2:19:08 ahead of Masai (2:19:17) and Tirusew (2:19:18), all four athletes finishing inside the previous course record.
In the men&rsquo;s race, Crippa broke away from a tightly packed field to win in a personal best of 2:05:18.
The leaders passed 10km in 29:51 and halfway in 1:03:12, with as many as 18 athletes still within five seconds of the lead. The field thinned in the closing stages, and Crippa emerged from a reduced lead group to secure victory.
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Bayelign Teshager finished second in 2:05:23, followed by Kenya&rsquo;s Sila Kiptoo (2:05:28) and Djibouti&rsquo;s Mohamed Ismail (2:05:38), with just 40 seconds separating the top six finishers.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Shure Demise (ETH) 2:18:34 2 Misgane Alemayehu (ETH) 2:19:08 3 Magdalyne Masai (KEN) 2:19:17 4 Enatnesh Tirusew (ETH) 2:19:18 5 Sharon Chelimo (KEN) 2:20:03 6 Alisa Vainio (FIN) 2:21:35 7 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 2:24:20 8 Mekdes Woldu (FRA) 2:26:25
Men 1 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 2:05:18 2 Bayelign Teshager (ETH) 2:05:23 3 Sila Kiptoo (KEN) 2:05:28 4 Mohamed Ismail (DJI) 2:05:38 5 Awet Nftalem Kibrab (NOR) 2:05:46 6 Emmanuel Roudolff (FRA) 2:05:58 7 Bethwel Kibet (KEN) 2:06:08 8 Hillary Kipkoech (KEN) 2:06:33
<h2> Shimeles breaks course record in Rotterdam</h2>
Ethiopia&rsquo;s Mekides Shimeles set a course record at the NN Marathon Rotterdam &ndash; also a World Athletics Gold Label road race &ndash; while compatriot Guye Adola produced a late surge to win a closely contested men&rsquo;s race on Sunday (12).
A lead group of 11 women passed 10km in 33:01, with five still together at halfway in 1:09:15. Shimeles encountered a setback at the 25km drinks station, briefly losing contact with the leaders, but quickly regained her rhythm.
She made her move before 30km, reaching the mark with a nine-second lead, which she extended to around a minute over the next 5km. Shimeles went on to win in 2:18:56, taking two seconds off the course record set by Tiki Gelana in 2012. Aminet Ahmed finished second in 2:21:25.
In the men&rsquo;s race, 12 athletes passed 5km in 14:43 and 10km in 29:16, while nine remained together at halfway in 1:01:36. The lead group was reduced to seven by 30km (1:27:28).
After 35km, the decisive moves began to unfold. Bashir Abdi and Tesfaye Deriba broke away at about 37km, with Abdi edging ahead just before 40km. However, Adola &ndash; who had remained just behind the leaders &ndash; produced a strong finish in the closing stages to move through the field and take victory in 2:03:54.
Deriba finished second in 2:04:15 ahead of Abdi (2:04:19) and Kenya&rsquo;s Kenneth Kipkemoi (2:04:21).
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Mekides Shimeles (ETH) 2:18:56 2 Aminet Ahmed (ETH) 2:21:25 3 Shitaye Eshete (BRN) 2:23:22 4 Pascalia Chepkogei (KEN) 2:24:34 5 Cl&eacute;mence Calvin (FRA) 2:25:24 6 Burtukan Yifru (ETH) 2:26:24 7 Susana Santos (POR) 2:26:26 8 Mikky Keetels (NED) 2:30:42
Men 1 Guye Adola (ETH) 2:03:54 2 Tesfaye Deriba (ETH) 2:04:15 3 Bashir Abdi (BEL) 2:04:19 4 Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN) 2:04:21 5 Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:05:19 6 Erick Kiplagat Sang (KEN) 2:05:34 7 Filmon Tesfu (NED) 2:06:40 8 Pietro Riva (ITA) 2:06:46

Ethiopia’s Shure Demise broke the course record at the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris

Course records for Demise in Paris and Shimeles in Rotterdam

Peru&rsquo;s Kimberly Garc&iacute;a produced a decisive mid-race break to take the women&rsquo;s half marathon title at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26, winning in 1:35:00 after a prolonged head-to-head battle with Mexico&rsquo;s Alejandra Ortega.
In what proved to be one of the most compelling contests of the weekend &ndash; both individually and in the team standings &ndash; Garc&iacute;a and Ortega were locked together for much of the race before the Peruvian pulled clear just before 15km and maintained her advantage to the finish.
Garc&iacute;a, the double world champion in 2022, adds this title to her victory over 20km at the 2024 edition as the championships transition to the new standard race-walking distanes.
The early stages quickly developed into a two-athlete contest. By 4km (17:50), Garc&iacute;a and Ortega had forged a gap on Peru&rsquo;s Evelyn Inga, and by 5km (22:16) their advantage had extended to 13 seconds. Despite receiving a second red card at 6km, Ortega held firm alongside Garc&iacute;a as the pair steadily increased their lead.
The lead duo&rsquo;s advantage grew to 43 seconds at 8km while the chase group, led by Inga, Italy&rsquo;s Nicole Colombi and Ukraine&rsquo;s Lyudmila Olyanovska, began to fragment behind them.
By 10km (44:35), Colombi had moved into third on her own, with Australia&rsquo;s Elizabeth McMillen advancing into fourth, but the leading duo remained almost 50 seconds clear. Garc&iacute;a and Ortega continued to dictate the pace through 14km (1:02:39), their margin stretching beyond one minute.
Further back, the race for the minor medals began to take shape. Spain&rsquo;s Aldara Meil&aacute;n and Sof&iacute;a Santacreu &ndash; the U20 silver and bronze medallists from 2024 &ndash; started to close on the leaders.
The decisive moment came shortly before 15km, when Garc&iacute;a injected a surge that Ortega could not match and she continued to pull ahead over the following kilometres.
At 16km (1:11:34), Ortega trailed by 31 seconds, while Santacreu had moved into third, just four seconds ahead of Meil&aacute;n, with Inga and Colombi slipping to fifth and sixth. At that stage, Spain had moved into pole position in the team standings.
Garc&iacute;a&rsquo;s lead reached its maximum at 18km (1:20:44), where she was 42 seconds clear, but the closing stages saw the dynamics shift behind her. Ortega remained secure in second, while Meil&aacute;n and Santacreu produced the fastest closing kilometres of the leading group to reel in the gap ahead.
While the Spanish duo continued to close on Ortega, Ukraine were also packing well and regained the lead in the team standings with just two kilometres to go.
Garc&iacute;a, meanwhile, maintained control through to the finish, crossing the line in 1:35:00. Ortega held on for silver in 1:35:21, by far her best ever performance on the global stage, while Meil&aacute;n secured bronze in 1:35:58 after moving clear of Santacreu, who finished fourth in 1:36:02.
Further back, Ukraine&rsquo;s Hanna Shevchuk placed seventh in 1:37:39, and with three athletes finishing inside the top 10, Ukraine claimed the team title with 25 points. Spain took silver with 28, while Australia secured bronze with 30. With just five points separating the top three nations, it was the closest team competition of the weekend.
&ldquo;I want to dedicate this win to all Peruvians," said Garc&iacute;a, who trains with Paula Torres, winner of the marathon at these championships.
&ldquo;We have a strong tradition of race walking in South America, from &Eacute;rica Sena, Glenda Morej&oacute;n and Daniel Pintado to athletes like Paula coming through now. It&rsquo;s encouraging to see the discipline growing across the region.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;An athlete&rsquo;s trajectory is never straightforward," added Garc&iacute;a, who owns three World Championship medals but is yet to reach an Olympic podium. "I&rsquo;ve had my ups and downs, but I&rsquo;m here again. I have the same drive and I&rsquo;m looking forward to my next goals. This is a stepping stone towards the Olympic Games. My childhood Olympic dream is still alive.&rdquo;
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S HALF MARATHON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Kimberly Garcia (PER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">1:35:00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Alejandra Ortega (MEX)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">1:35:21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Aldara Meilan (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">1:35:38</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Sofia Santacreu (ESP)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:36:02</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Rebecca Henderson (AUS)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:37:05</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/half-marathon-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S HALF MARATHON TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Ukraine</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Spain</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Australia</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/half-marathon-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Report of the women's half marathon at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

García wins half marathon as Ukraine edge closest team battle in Brasília

Francesco Fortunato produced a decisive late surge to win the men&rsquo;s half marathon at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 on Sunday (12), clocking 1:27:25 in one of the most competitive and unpredictable races of the weekend.
The race was anticipated to be one of the highlights of the programme and it more than delivered. A large lead pack remained intact deep into the latter stages with the lead changing hands repeatedly throughout before Fortunato made his move with less than a kilometre to go.
Fortunato&rsquo;s victory carries added historical significance. The last Italian man to win at the World Race Walking Team Championships was Abdon Pamich, who won the very first race &ndash; the 50km &ndash; at the inaugural edition back in 1961.
More than six decades on, Fortunato becomes just the second Italian man to win as the championships usher in a new era with revised standard distances.
The early stages set the tone for what would become a fiercely contested race. Brazil&rsquo;s home favourite Caio Bonfim &ndash; the world 20km champion &ndash; led a sizeable pack through 5km in 21:13, with two-time world champion and world record-holder Toshikazu Yamanishi among those tracking closely.
By 10km, reached in 42:20, more than 20 athletes were still in contention at the front. That number had reduced only slightly to 17 by 12km (50:33), with Bonfim continuing to dictate the pace.
The tempo began to lift as the race progressed, with splits of 58:48 at 14km, 1:02:55 at 15km and 1:07:03 at 16km, by which point the lead group had thinned to 10. Among those still in contention were Japan&rsquo;s Yamanishi and Tomohiro Noda, Spain&rsquo;s Diego Garc&iacute;a Carrera and Japan&rsquo;s Kento Yoshikawa, while Australia&rsquo;s Declan Tingay began to lose contact.
A decisive phase unfolded over the next few kilometres. At 17km (1:11:14), Fortunato moved to the front and increased the pace, stretching the field. By 18km (1:15:21), the lead pack had reduced to seven, with Ethiopia&rsquo;s Misgana Wakuma positioning himself between Bonfim and Yamanishi.
The race broke apart definitively at 19km (1:19:23), when Bonfim, Wakuma and Fortunato surged clear to form a lead trio. Bonfim continued to lead through 20km in 1:23:21, but the decisive move came shortly after.
With the clock approaching 1:25, Fortunato unleashed a powerful burst, immediately opening a gap on his two remaining rivals. The European bronze medallist covered the final kilometre in 3:42 &ndash; the fastest of the race &ndash; and crossed the line a clear winner in 1:27:25.
"I felt good from the beginning, but I received two red cards early on in the race," said Fortunato, who set a world 5000m race walk record during the indoor season earlier this year. "I tried to stay calm and relaxed. As we approchaed the final lap, I told myself I needed to push very fast. I am a speed boy. Beating Caio (Bonfim) at home, I cannot ask for more.
"I had two goals this season: this event and the European Championships," he added. "I want to improve on my bronze medal from two years ago."
Wakuma held on strongly to secure second place in 1:27:33, the highest finish ever by an African athlete at these championships, while Bonfim completed the podium in 1:27:36 to the delight of the home crowd.
Germany&rsquo;s Leo Kopp finished strongly to take fourth in 1:27:50, with Yoshikawa the leading Japanese finisher in fifth. Yamanishi and Noda placed seventh and eighth respectively, ensuring Japan regained the team title they last won in 2018.
Spain, led by Garc&iacute;a Carrera, claimed team silver, while China returned to the podium with bronze after missing out in 2024.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MEN'S HALF MARATHON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Francesco Fortunato (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">1:27:25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Misgana Wakuma (ETH)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">1:27:33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Caio Bonfim (BRA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">1:27:36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Leo Kopp (GER)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:27:50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Kento Yoshikawa (JPN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">1:28:00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/half-marathon-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MEN'S HALF MARATHON TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Japan</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Spain</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">39</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">China</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/half-marathon-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Report of the men's half marathon at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Fortunato triumphs in gripping men’s half marathon in Brasília

Japan&rsquo;s Hayato Katsuki delivered a commanding performance to win the marathon race walk at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Championships Brasilia 26 on Sunday (12), claiming the inaugural title over the newly introduced distance in 3:04:58.
Ecuador&rsquo;s Pan American Games champion David Hurtado produced a strong finish to take the silver medal in 3:05:57, securing his first podium place at a senior global event. Japan&rsquo;s Kazuya Iwai followed closely behind to claim bronze.
Japan comfortably secured top spot in the team standings, with Subaru Ishida as the third to score coming in ninth place. Italy finished second thanks to a consistent team performance, led by 35km world record-holder Massimo Stano in fifth, followed by Riccardo Orsoni in seventh and Andrea Agrusti in eighth.
Spain, winners of the team title in 2024, claimed bronze, with Manuel Bermudez, Daniel Chamosa and Jose Manuel Perez all finishing in the top 16.
From the outset, it was clear that Katsuki was in a class of his own, marching away from the field soon after the starting gun sounded. The world bronze medallist covered the opening kilometre in 4:20 and quickly established a decisive gap.
By the 50-minute mark, he had built a lead of more than 90 seconds &ndash; a margin that grew even further as the race progressed. Italy&rsquo;s Orsoni briefly emerged as the closest pursuer, but he was later overtaken by Hurtado and Iwai.
Katsuki had employed similarly bold tactics at last year&rsquo;s World Championships before he was caught in the closing stages of the 35km. Here in Brasilia, though, his tactics paid off and he eventually crossed the line almost a minute ahead of the rest of the field.
"My strategy for this race was to give it all in order to have a head start over the other competitors from the beginning," said Katsuki. "I started hard and then I just kept managing my pace. I am very happy with our collective effort and the team gold."
Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m, winner of the 20km at these championships in 2024 and the 35km in 2022, fell ill after arriving in Brasilia and did not make it to the start line.
Annika Saunus for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MEN'S MARATHON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Hayato Katsuki (JPN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">3:04:58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">David Hurtado (ECU)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">3:05:57</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Kazuya Iwai (JPN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">3:06:03</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Cesar Herrera (COL)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:06:59</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Massimo Stano (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:07:38</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/marathon-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">MEN'S MARATHON TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Japan</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Italy</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Spain</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">41</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/marathon-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Report of the men's marathon at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Japan’s Katsuki dominates to secure individual and team marathon titles in Brasilia

Ecuador&rsquo;s Paula Torres achieved the biggest victory of her career so far when winning the women&rsquo;s marathon &ndash; and the team title &ndash; at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 on Sunday (12).
Much like men&rsquo;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 &ndash; the second-fastest time ever recorded for the new race-walking distance.
With four finishers in the top nine &ndash; including third-place finisher Nathaly Leon &ndash; Ecuador also took gold in the team standings. Italy&rsquo;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&rsquo; 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&rsquo; lead was still huge. Fiorini, meanwhile, had managed to break away from Giorgi.
With each lap, Torres&rsquo; victory became more and more certain. Giorgi&rsquo;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 &ndash; 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&rsquo;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&rsquo;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 &ndash;&nbsp;their first ever team medal at these championships.
Four years ago, when the 35km made its debut &ndash; and, indeed, only appearance &ndash; 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 &ndash; who was holding the finish-line ribbon here in Brasilia &ndash; 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
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S MARATHON INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Paula Torres (ECU)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">3:24:37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Sofia Fiorini (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">3:25:42</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Nathaly Leon (ECU)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">3:31:47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Federica Curiazzi (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:32:21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Viviane Lyra (BRA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">3:34:53</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/marathon-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">WOMEN'S MARATHON TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Ecuador</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Italy</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Brazil</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">28</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/marathon-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Report of the women's marathon at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Marathon winner Torres leads Ecuador to gold in Brasilia

Yang Yutong emerged victorious in a competitive U20 women&rsquo;s 10km at the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26, winning both the individual and team titles for China on Sunday (12).
It was only in the closing stages that the 19-year-old finally shook off the challenge of Italy&rsquo;s European U18 champion Serena di Fabio, the seventh-place finisher at this event two years ago. Yang crossed the line in 46:11 to finish 10 seconds ahead of Di Fabio with Ni Lihua placing third in 46:37 to secure team gold for China.
The race got off to a conservative start as the first kilometre was covered in 5:09. The pace started to pick up as the large lead pack approached 3km, but it was only at half way &ndash; which was reached in 24:01 &ndash; that the pack started to whittle down.
Di Fabio led a nine-woman group at that point. After another kilometre, covered in 4:35, the pack was down to five: Di Fabio, France&rsquo;s Chloe le Roch, plus Chinese trio Yang, Ni and Wang Yaru.
Le Roch and Wang started to drift off the pace, leaving just three women to battle for the podium places over the final few kilometres. Di Fabio, Yang and Ni race walked together through 8km, then Yang began her long drive for home.
Ni surrendered her challenge, while Di Fabio tried her best to stick with Yang, but the Chinese teenager was too strong. With a final kilometre of 4:23, and having covered the second half in 22:10, Yang crossed the line in 46:11 to become the third consecutive Chinese winner of the U20 women&rsquo;s race at these championships.
Di Fabio held on for second place in 46:21 while Ni finished third in 46:37. Further back, Le Roch was fourth (47:18) and Wang fifth (47:27).
"I thought it was very hard to finish the race," said Yang. "I hope I can repeat the same success at the World U20 Championships as I had here in Brazil."
China dominated the team standings and regained gold, two years after Spain ended their four-edition winning streak.
Italy claimed team silver with 12 points, just one ahead of Japan. It represents Italy&rsquo;s best team result in the U20 women&rsquo;s race at these championships, and Japan&rsquo;s first team podium finish in a women&rsquo;s race.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">U20 WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Yang Yutong (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">46:11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Serena di Fabio (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">46:21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Ni Lihua (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">46:37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Chloe le Roch (FRA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">47:18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Wang Yaru (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">47:27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/10-kilometres-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">U20 WOMEN'S TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">China</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Italy</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Japan</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/women/10-kilometres-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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Report of the U20 women's 10km at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

Yang claims U20 women's individual and team honours in Brasilia

Pu Huajia brought the U20 men&rsquo;s 10km title back to Chinese ownership at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 on Sunday (12).
The 18-year-old delivered a dominant performance to win by 49 seconds, crossing the line in a PB of 39:58.
Australia&rsquo;s defending champion Isaac Beacroft, who won in Antalya two years ago at the age of 16, had to settle for the runner-up spot with 40:47. Alessio Coppola placed third (41:16) and led Italy to the team title.
The race got off to a conservative start with Beacroft at the head of a large lead pack through the first kilometre. As the group approached the two-kilometre mark, Beacroft started to increase the pace slightly, but Pu went with him.
With 14 minutes on the clock, Pu and Beacroft had a five-second lead over the rest of the field and they continued to race alongside one another for most of the first half.
In the second half, though, Pu managed to break free from Beacroft, opening up a significant lead on the Australian who had set a world U20 10,000m record at the end of last year.
Pu, contesting his first race outside China, powered ahead and crossed the line in 39:58, the fourth-fastest winning time at these championships. It&rsquo;s the fifth time in the six most recent editions that China has won the U20 men&rsquo;s title at the World Race Walking Team Championships.
Beacroft followed in 40:47 while Coppola placed third in 41:16.
"I think my strategy for the race was good, especially towards the end of the race," said Pu. "I was feeling good, which was encouraging. The goal for my next race is to break 39 minutes."
Coppola&rsquo;s teammate Nicolo Vidal finished fourth, while Shi Chengxi of China was sixth, meaning Italy and China both notched up seven points in the team standings. But Italy claimed the victory &ndash; their first team triumph in the U20 race &ndash; by virtue of a higher-placed second counter.
Australia, with Owen Toyne placing 12th, claimed team bronze.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">U20 MEN'S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Pu Huajia (CHN)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">39:58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">Isaac Beacroft (AUS)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">40:47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Alessio Coppola (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">41:16</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">4</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Nicolo Vidal (ITA)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">41:25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; text-align: center;">5</td>
<td style="width: 60%;">Emiliano Barba (MEX)</td>
<td style="width: 30%;">41:49</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/10-kilometres-race-walk/final/result" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 75%; border-color: #222222; border-style: solid;" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #fd5249; text-align: center;" colspan="3">U20 MEN'S TEAM RESULTS</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #e9c968; text-align: center;">🥇</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #e9c968;">Italy</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #e9c968;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #ced4d9; text-align: center;">🥈</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #ced4d9;">China</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #ced4d9;">7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 10%; background-color: #bd895e; text-align: center;">🥉</td>
<td style="width: 60%; background-color: #bd895e;">Australia</td>
<td style="width: 30%; background-color: #bd895e;">14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="background-color: #34495e; text-align: left;" colspan="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://worldathletics.org/en/competitions/world-athletics-race-walking-team-championshi/brasilia26/results/men/10-kilometres-race-walk/final/team" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full results</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;

Report of the U20 men's 10km at the Caixa World Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26

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