If ever there was an athlete in the right place at the right time, it’s world 50km race walk champion Ines Henriques.

The spotlight will fall firmly on hometown heroine Ines Henriques at the Grande Prémio Internacional de Rio Maior em Marcha Atlética, the fifth stop of the 2018 IAAF Race Walking Challenge, on Saturday (7).

Our 2017 end-of-year review series starts with Paul Warburton looking back at the best race walking performances of the year.

The following world records have been ratified...

Ines Henriques breezed home to become the first women’s world 50km race walk champion – and at the same time pocketed a handsome $160,000 for her win and world record*.

The following world records have recently been ratified...

Portugal’s Ana Cabecinha and Ines Henriques will be vying for the victory on Saturday (1) at the Rio Maior Race Walking Grand Prix, the fourth leg of the IAAF World Race Walking Challenge.

Portugal’s Inês Henriques established the first official women’s world record* for the 50km race walk, covering the distance in 4:08:26 at the Portuguese 35km and 50km Race Walking Championships in Porto de Mos on Sunday (15).

Five-time world and Olympic medallist Jared Tallent and defending champions Erik Tysse and Ines Henriques return to Chihuahua on Saturday (22) to contest the third leg of the 2014 IAAF Race Walking Challenge, now in its 12th edition.

Australia’s double Olympic Games 50km Race Walk silver medallist Jarred Tallent and Portugal’s Ines Henriques captured 20km victories in 1:21:21 and 1:29:30 at the 27th Gran Premio Cantones de Marcha, the Spanish leg in 2013 IAAF Race Walking Challenge, on Saturday (1).

Jared Tallent and Ines Henriques are among the favourites for the ‘Gran Premio Cantones de Marcha' – the Spanish leg of the 2013 IAAF Race Walking Challenge – on Saturday (1) in La Coruña, a city which has annually hosted this world-class competition since 1987.

Russia’s London 2012 Olympic Games women’s 20km Race Walk champion Yelena Lashmanova and Guatemala’s Olympic men’s 20km silver medalist Erick Barrondo are the top names on the start list of the 22nd Grande Prémio Internacional de Rio Maior em Marcha Atlética, an IAAF Race Walking Challenge meeting, in Portugal on Sunday.