The 20 kilometre race walk is an

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competi ...

event that is competed by both men and women. The

racewalking Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Race judges carefully asse ...

event is competed as a road race. Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it.

World records

The men's

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

for the 20 km race walk is held by Yusuke Suzuki, who walked 1:16:36 at the Asian Race Walking Championships in his home town of Nomi, Japan. Suzuki's new

World Record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

came exactly one week after

Yohann Diniz Yohann Diniz (born 1 January 1978) is a French race walker. He is the current world-record holder for the 50 km race, with a time of 3:32:33, and for the 50,000 metres track walk, with a time of 3:35:27. Career He won the gold medal in the 50&n ...

's mark who walked a then record time of 1:17:02 in

Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province ...

at the 2015 French championships. The women's world record of 1:24:38 was set by Liu Hong of China. Russian Elena Lashmanova, has served a previous ban for doping, currently holds a quicker time of 1:23:39 which is also the European record, but it has never been ratified as a world record.

All-time top 25

Men

*Correct as of February 2022. *

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:17:47: *

Toshikazu Yamanishi is a Japanese racewalking athlete. He won a gold medal in 20 kilometres race walk at the 2019 Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, with a World Leading time of 1:17.15 (2019 season). Representing Japan at the 2019 and 2022 World Athletics ...

also walked 1:17:20 (2021), 1:17:36 (2020), 1:17:41 (2018, 2019). *

also walked 1:17:24 (2015), 1:17:43 (2012). *

Vladimir Kanaykin Vladimir Alekseevich Kanaykin (russian: Владимир Алексеевич Канайкин; born 21 March 1985) is a Russian race walker. Career He won the 2002 World Junior Championships in the 10 km race, took the silver medal at the ...

also walked 1:17:36 (2007). * Yusuke Suzuki also walked 1:17:47 (2019).

Women

*Correct as of March 2021. *¹ : These times were achieved without the presence of international judges to officiate the competition and/or post-race doping tests, thus making them invalid for world record status. However, they are accepted as personal best marks for those athletes.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:26:14: * Liu Hong also walked 1:24:38 (2015), 1:25:56 (2016, 2019), 1:25:46 (2012), 1:26:00 (2012). * Elena Lashmanova also walked 1:24:58 (2016), 1:25:02 (2012), 1:25:18 (2017), 1:25:41 (2021), 1:25:49 (2013). * Olga Kaniskina also walked 1:25:11 (2008), 1:25:42 (2008), 1:25:54 (2016), 1:26:02 (2006). * Vera Sokolova also walked 1:25:26 (2009), 1:25:35 (2010), 1:25:38 (2015), 1:26:00 (2013). * Anisya Kirdyapkina also walked 1:25:26 (2009), 1:25:30 (2008), 1:25:59 (2013). * Elmira Alembekova also walked 1:25:27 (2012). * Yang Jiayu also walked 1:25:34 (2019). * Shenjie Qieyang also walked 1:25:16 (2012), 1:25:37 (2019). *

Olimpiada Ivanova Olimpiada Vladimirovna Ivanova (russian: Олимпиада Владимировна Иванова, born 26 August 1970) is a Russian race walker. Her first gold medal was won in the 2001 Edmonton World Championships, where she beat the rest o ...

also walked 1:25:41 (2005), 1:26:08 (2000). * Lü Xiuzhi also walked 1:22:51 (2021). The following athletes have had their performances (inside 1:26:14) annulled due to doping offence:

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

Season's bests

Men

Women

External links

IAAF list of 20-kilometres-race-walk records in XML

References

{{Athletics events Racewalking distances Summer Olympic disciplines in athletics