The 20,000 metres race walk is a

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. The event is competed as a track race. Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it. 20,000 metres is 12.4274 miles.

History

This distance is not commonly raced at high level international competitions but part of

South American Championships in Athletics The South American Championships in Athletics is a biennial athletics event organized by CONSUDATLE. The first edition in 1919 was competed between only two countries (Chile and Uruguay), but it has since expanded and has generally been held every ...

and individual national championships (f.e. Russia, India, Colombia, Venezuela). Top level senior athletics racewalking events typically feature 20 km road distance.

World records

On May 7, 1994,

Bernardo Segura Bernardo Segura Rivera (born February 11, 1970 in San Mateo Atenco) is a Mexican race walker. He is the current holder of the 20,000m World Record for Race Walking on a track with a time of 1:17:25.6. In the 2000 Olympic Games, Segura finished f ...

of Mexico set a new 20,000 m race walk world record in

Fana Fana is a borough of the city of Bergen in Vestland county, Norway. The borough makes up the southeastern part of the municipality of Bergen. The borough was once part of the historic municipality of Fana which was incorporated into Bergen ...

in a time of 1:17:25.6. The all-time women's 20,000 m race-walk record is held by Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia, at 1:26:53.2.

All-time top 25 (outdoor)

Men

*Correct as of 15 August 2018.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:20:40.3: * Nick A'Hern also walked 1:20:18.5 (1990).

Women

*Correct as of June 2021.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:32:21.59: * Sandra Arenas also walked 1:31:46.9 (2014). * Marina Smyslova also walked 1:32:16.5 (2003).

All-time top performance (indoor)

Men

References

{{Athletics events Racewalking distances