Masatora Kawano sets a world marathon race walk record in Takahata (© JAAF / Ikumi Kodama)
Australia’s Rebecca Henderson and Japan’s Masatora Kawano set respective world marathon race walk records of 3:14:52* and 2:55:14* at the All Japan Race Walking meeting, a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze event, in Takahata on Sunday (25).
Henderson improved on the 3:15:11 women’s world record set by Sofia Fiorini at the European Championships in Birmingham in August, while Kawano achieved the inaugural men’s world record for the distance.
The half marathon and marathon became official race walk distances from 1 January 2026, with 2:56:30 set as the performance standard required for the inaugural men’s world marathon race walk record.
More to follow...
*Subject to the usual ratification procedure
