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
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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
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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<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>
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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">
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<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>
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<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>
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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>
&nbsp;

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

Pu dominates U20 men's race in Brasilia

Rising sprint star Gout Gout produced the standout performance of the Australian Championships with a world U20 record of 19.67* to retain his 200m title on the final day of action in Sydney on Sunday (12).
The 18-year-old got off to a strong start, but trailed Aidan Murphy as they entered the home straight. The pair were level until about the final 30 metres when Gout &ndash; as is often his style &ndash; started to pull clear.
He crossed the line in 19.67 (1.7m/s) to smash his previous PB of 20.02, which was also the senior Oceanian record. He also took 0.02 off Erriyon Knighton&rsquo;s world U20 record of 19.69, set in Eugene in 2022. Knighton also clocked 19.49 earlier that year, which remains the fastest performance by an U20 athlete, but it wasn&rsquo;t ratified as a world U20 record.
Gout now sits one place ahead of Usain Bolt on the world U20 all-time list.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bItXghj3Re8" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
Murphy finished second in 19.88 &ndash; also well inside the previous Oceanian record &ndash; with Calab Law (20.21) and Christopher Ius (20.26) following him across the finish line. The first seven finishers set big PBs.
&ldquo;This is what I&rsquo;ve been waiting for,&rdquo; said Gout, the 2024 world U20 silver medallist. &ldquo;Before the race, I looked at my notes and I&rsquo;d predicted that I was going to run 19.75 here.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s good when people compare you to the best in the world. I&rsquo;m me and I&rsquo;m doing my own thing. There&rsquo;s no pressure from me. As soon as I take to the track, it&rsquo;s just me, the track and my spikes."
Elsewhere in Sydney, Cameron Myers won the 1500m and 5000m double, improved his own Oceania all-comers&rsquo; record in the shorter event with 3:29.85, then setting a PB of 13:11.66 to win over the longer distance.
The 19-year-old beat the 3:30.42 he ran during the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Melbourne at the end of March, becoming the first athlete to break 3:30 this year and recording the second-fastest time of his career behind the area U20 record of 3:29.80 he set in Ostrava last year.
Oliver Hoare finished second (3:32.66) and world indoor bronze medallist Adam Spencer was third (3:34.23).
&ldquo;To do this in front of a home crowd and the way I did it, is awesome,&rdquo; Myers told Australian Athletics. &ldquo;It took me a while this year to get going, but I&rsquo;ve got going now and hopefully this shows I will be a real contender in the European season.&rdquo;
There was drama in the women&rsquo;s 1500m as Olympic silver medallist Jessica Hull fell on the home straight. Claudia Hollingsworth crossed the finish line first and was initially disqualified but late reinstated as the winner in 4:17.06 ahead of Sarah Billings.
Lachlan Kennedy became the first Australian athlete to break 10 seconds on home soil, winning his 100m heat in 9.96 (0.2m/s) to improve his PB by 0.02. He then matched that time to win the final.
Elsewhere, Olympic champion Nina Kennedy won the pole vault with 4.65m. Mia Scerri won the heptathlon after setting five PBs across the seven events, scoring 6175, while world U20 champion&nbsp;Delta Amidzovski&nbsp;soared a PB of 6.84m&nbsp;in long jump qualification.
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

Rising sprint star Gout Gout produced the standout performance of the Australian Championships with a world U20 record of 19.67

Gout runs world U20 200m record of 19.67 in Sydney

The Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 will break new ground this weekend as the global race walking community gathers in Brazil for a landmark edition of the championships on Sunday (12).
For the first time in the event&rsquo;s history, the competition will be held in South America &ndash; and in the Southern Hemisphere &ndash; marking a significant moment for the discipline and for the sport more broadly.
With a record-breaking programme, new race formats and a global field of more than 330 athletes from about 40 federations, the stage is set for a historic edition of the championships in Bras&iacute;lia &ndash; one that promises to leave a lasting legacy for race walking in South America and beyond.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe highlighted the importance of the occasion within a packed global calendar.
&ldquo;This is a big occasion,&rdquo; said Coe. &ldquo;What makes this edition especially significant is that it is the first time the event has been held in South America, and indeed the first time in the Southern Hemisphere &ndash; something I&rsquo;m particularly pleased about.
&ldquo;This is also the third stop on this year&rsquo;s World Athletics Series calendar. Not long ago, we were in Tallahassee for the World Cross Country Championships, and just last month we were in Poland for a very successful edition of the World Indoor Championships. Now we are here in Bras&iacute;lia.
&ldquo;And it&rsquo;s worth reflecting on something I often say: there is no sport on the planet that combines such diversity, inclusion and global reach as athletics. This year alone, we will stage events across four continents. From here, we move to Africa for the World Relays in Gaborone, to the United States for the World U20 Championships, then back to Europe for the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen, and finally to Budapest for the Ultimate Championship, which will be the crescendo of our year.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m particularly pleased to see the athletes here, who will, of course, be the stars of the show,&rdquo; added Coe. &ldquo;I spent time with them earlier this morning in a very productive discussion about the future of race walking and some of the challenges the discipline faces. Those conversations are always invaluable.
&ldquo;Innovation is important, and this edition reflects that. For the first time, we have introduced the half marathon and marathon distances for race walking, which I believe is a significant step forward for the discipline.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;d like to place on record my thanks to the Brazilian Federation, the local organising committee, and the municipal authorities for creating a route that showcases some of the most iconic landmarks of this capital city.&rdquo;
For Brazil, hosting the championships represents both recognition and opportunity, as emphasised by Confedera&ccedil;&atilde;o Brasileira de Atletismo President Wlamir Motta Campos.
&ldquo;This is a historic moment for our sport and for our country,&rdquo; said Campos. &ldquo;For the first time, this event is being held in the Southern Hemisphere. These championships place Bras&iacute;lia and Brazil firmly on the global sporting stage, reinforcing our commitment to promoting athletics and hosting major international events.
&ldquo;Hosting this championship is both a great honour and a source of immense pride. We are deeply grateful for the trust that World Athletics has placed in us by awarding Brazil this important event.
&ldquo;We are confident that this championship will be a great success and a historic milestone for race walking in Brazil and across South America. I am sure this event will remain in our memories for many years to come.&rdquo;
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Sport, National Secretary for High-Performance Sport, Iziane Castro Marques de Oliveira highlighted the broader impact of the championships and the role of government support in athlete development.
&ldquo;This event is not only a source of pride for Brazil, it also reflects our commitment to investing in people, in careers and in dreams,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Programmes such as Bolsa Atleta are essential in ensuring that our athletes can train, compete and perform at the highest level.
&ldquo;Beyond elite performance, this championship is about inspiration &ndash; about showing young athletes that there is a pathway for them to grow, progress and reach the world stage.&rdquo;
World 35km champion Evan Dunfee was among the five athletes in attendance at the press conference. The Canadian is heading into his eighth World Race Walking Team Championships with a different approach to previous editions.
&ldquo;On the way to winning the 35km in Tokyo, I suffered a severe hamstring injury &ndash; a full avulsion &ndash; so I&rsquo;ve been in recovery mode. This is the first championships in a long time where I&rsquo;m coming in with a very different mindset. I&rsquo;m not here to contest for the podium, I just want to see what my body is capable of right now. I also have three athletes I coach on the team, so I&rsquo;m here wearing two hats &ndash; athlete and coach.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m now in my 20th season of competing internationally, and this is my eighth World Race Walking Team Championships. My journey is one of growth; sport has taught me everything &ndash; how to win, but more importantly how to lose. It&rsquo;s taught me how to set extraordinarily big goals and how to chase them with passion.
&ldquo;The suitcase I travelled here with is from my first national team in 2006,&rdquo; added Dunfee. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s older than some of the teammates here that I coach, which is a fairly remarkable full circle symbol. I now get to impart a fraction of the wisdom I&rsquo;ve learned from my great coach, Gerry Dragomir, on to the next generation.&rdquo;
Home favourite Caio Bonfim, winner of the world 20km title last year, underlined the significance of competing on home soil.
&ldquo;Winning medals has changed my life in terms of recognition, but I&rsquo;m still the same person,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The biggest change is visibility &ndash; people recognising you &ndash; but internally, I haven&rsquo;t changed.
&ldquo;This is a big moment not just for me, but for Brazil &ndash; to showcase race walking to the world. From the moment we knew Brazil would host this event, it brought both excitement and responsibility. There has been a lot of work behind the scenes, but now it&rsquo;s time to deliver.&rdquo;
Fellow Brazilian Viviane Lyra &ndash; the South African 20km champion &ndash; echoed that sentiment.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s very special for Brazil to host this competition,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;The team is united, determined and ready. Competing in front of our home crowd &ndash; our family and friends &ndash; makes this moment even more meaningful.
&ldquo;The marathon is a special distance, so to have the opportunity to complete one here at home is amazing.&rdquo;
Like Lyra, Ecuador&rsquo;s world 35km bronze medallist Paula Torres is also stepping up to the marathon distance, embracing both the challenge and the legacy of her nation in the discipline.
&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t entirely my decision to move to the marathon; my coach guided me towards it,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;At first, I thought it might be too much, but I&rsquo;ve grown to really enjoy it. Now I feel comfortable with the distance and I&rsquo;m very excited to compete.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to come from a country with such a strong tradition in race walking, so tomorrow I&rsquo;ll race with pride and I&rsquo;ll be thinking about my country with every step.&rdquo;
Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m &ndash; winner of the 20km at these championships in 2024 and the 35km in 2022 &ndash; is uncertain about whether he&rsquo;ll be able to make the start line on Sunday after coming down with illness since arriving in Brasilia. Nevertheless, the multiple world medallist is treating 2026 as a fresh start.
&ldquo;Last year was very difficult, but this year is about starting fresh,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I know I still have more to give.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve already raced one marathon this year, and I think the distance suits the discipline well. It&rsquo;s closer to the traditional long-distance nature of race walking than the 35km.&rdquo;

The Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasilia 26 will break new ground this weekend

Historic stage set for Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasília 26

Olympic bronze medallist Matt Denny threw a world-leading 74.04m to win an extraordinary men&rsquo;s discus contest at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational in Ramona on Thursday (9), where six athletes surpassed the 70-metre mark in a single competition for the first time.
The women's contest on Saturday (11) also broke new ground as Valarie Sion won with 73.10m from Jorinde van Klinken (70.99m), marking the first competition in 37 years in which two women have thrown beyond 70 metres.
While Denny ultimately took the win on Friday, Germany&rsquo;s Steven Richter delivered the most notable performance of the competition. The European U23 champion moved into the lead in the third round with a huge PB of 74.00m, improving significantly on his previous best of 69.61m, and backed it up immediately with 73.96m in the fourth round.
Denny, who led for the first two rounds with his opening throw of 72.01m, regained the lead in the fifth round with 74.04m &ndash; the third-best throw of his career behind the Oceanian records of 74.25m and 74.78m he set in Ramona last year. He closed with 71.84m to complete a series in which all six throws exceeded 70 metres.
Richter, meanwhile, produced five throws beyond 70 metres and three beyond 73m. His breakthrough performance lifts him to fourth on the world all-time list.
Slovenia&rsquo;s 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh finished third with a national record of 72.61m, achieved with his final throw, while USA&rsquo;s Sam Mattis set a North American record of 72.45m in the second round to finish fourth.
Olympic champion Roje Stona finished fifth with a PB of 70.66m, and world bronze medallist Alex Rose of Samoa placed sixth with 70.43m.
USA&rsquo;s Texas Tanner narrowly missed joining the 70-metre group, placing seventh with a PB of 69.56m. Earlier in the programme, Reggie Jagers won the left-handed discus competition with 69.09m.
Two days later, Denny and Richter enjoyed another close tussle with the Australian once again prevailing.
Denny opened with 71.43m and then improved to 73.49m in round two. Richter sent his discus out to 72.47m in round four, and Denny responded with 72.58m before improving to 73.58m in the final round.
In third, Lawrence Okoye extended his own British record to 71.88m to finish ahead of Ceh (70.94m) and Mattis (69.75m).
<h2>Sion rebounds from defeat to throw 73.10m</h2>
World silver medallist Jorinde van Klinken of the Netherlands won the women&rsquo;s contest on Friday with a world-leading 68.98m, leading a Dutch 1-2 from compatriot Alida van Daalen, who set a PB of 67.99m.
Germany&rsquo;s Marike Steinacker was third (66.55m) and France&rsquo;s Melina Robert-Michon finished fourth with 65.96m, a world best for the W45 category.
Sion (n&eacute;e Allman) placed sixth with 65.18m, recording four fouls in a rare off day that ended a winning streak stretching back to the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.
But she rebounded two days later by producing the second-best throw of her career.
Sion opened with 71.00m and then threw 73.10m in round three &ndash; just 42 centimetres shy of her own North American record set last year, also in Ramona. Van Klinken produced three throws beyond 70 metres: 70.20m, 70.76m and a PB of 70.99m in the final round. Van Daalen was third with 69.17m.
Elsewhere, world indoor champion Chase Jackson won the women&rsquo;s shot put with 20.13m while Roger Steen won the men&rsquo;s contest with 21.77m.
The four-day meeting concludes on Sunday (12).

Matt Denny threw a world-leading 74.04m to win an extraordinary men’s discus contest at the Oklahoma Throws Series World Invitational in Ramona

Denny and Richter reach 74 metres in Ramona

World Athletics is saddened to hear that 1983 world discus champion Imrich Bug&aacute;r died on 8 April at the age of 70.
One of the leading discus throwers of his era, Bug&aacute;r enjoyed a distinguished career representing Czechoslovakia in the late 1970s and 1980s, highlighted by his victory at the inaugural World Championships in Helsinki in 1983, where he won gold with 67.72m.
Bug&aacute;r established himself among the world&rsquo;s best in the late 1970s. He claimed Olympic silver at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow and went on to win the European title in Athens in 1982, a season in which he was also named Czechoslovakia&rsquo;s Sportsperson of the Year.
Born in Ohrady, in what is now Slovakia, on 14 April 1955, Bug&aacute;r was a dominant force domestically, winning multiple national titles across more than a decade. He set a personal best of 71.26m in 1985 &ndash; the best throw in the world that year, and a mark that remains the Czech record. At the time, it placed him equal third on the world all-time list.
Widely regarded as one of the most consistent discus throwers of his generation, he represented his country at every World Championships between 1983 and 1993, and at the Olympic Games in 1980, 1988 and 1992. He missed the 1984 Games due to the boycott of the Eastern Bloc nations, denying him the opportunity to contend for another Olympic medal.
He also made a significant contribution to the sport as a coach, guiding compatriot Robert Změl&iacute;k to Olympic decathlon gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona while competing at the same Games himself.
After retiring from competition in the mid-1990s, Bug&aacute;r remained involved in athletics and public life, and he continued to be recognised as one of the great figures in Czech and Slovak track and field history.
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