The World Athletics Championships are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics. The World Championships were started in 1976 in response to the International Olympic Committee dropping the men's 50 km walk from the Olympic programme for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, despite its constant presence at the games since 1932. The IAAF chose to host its own world championship event instead, a month and a half after the Olympics. It was the first World Championships that the IAAF had hosted separate from the Olympic Games. A second limited event was held in 1980, and the inaugural championships in 1983, with all the events, is considered the official start of the competition. Until 1980, the Olympic champions were considered as reigning World Champions. At their debut, these championhips were then held every four years, until 1991, when they switched to a two-year cycle since.
Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. This is assessed by race judges. Typically held on either roads or on running tracks, common distances differ from 3000 metres (1.8 mi) up to 100 kilometres (62.1 mi).
The Men's 50 km Race Walk event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entrylist of 42 competitors. Three athletes were disqualified, while four walkers did not finish the race, held on Friday September 30, 1988.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km Walk at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. There were a total number of 45 competitors, with seven athletes who were disqualified.
These are the official results of the Men's 20 km Walk at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, held on July 31, 1992. There were a total number of 42 competitors, with five athletes who were disqualified.
These are the official results of the Men's 20 km Walk event at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total number of 37 participating athletes, with the final held on Saturday August 24, 1991, with the start at 08:30h local time.
These are the official results of the Women's 10 km Walk event at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. There were a total number of 42 participating athletes, with the final held on Saturday August 24, 1991, with the start at 10:25h local time.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km walk event at the 1990 European Championships in Split, Yugoslavia, held on 31 August 1990. There were a total number of fifteen athletes, who finished the race.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km walk event at the 1982 European Championships in Athens, Greece, held on 10 September 1982.
These are the official results of the Men's 20 km walk event at the 1994 European Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 29 participating athletes, with the race held on 8 August 1994.
The Men's 50 km walk event at the 1994 European Championships was held on 13 August 1994 in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 34 participating athletes.
The Men's 50 km Race Walk at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California had an entrylist of 31 competitors. Five athletes were disqualified, while nine walkers did not finish the race, held on August 11, 1984.
The Men's 50 km Race Walk at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR had an entrylist of 27 competitors. Three athletes were disqualified and nine did not finish in the final, held on 30 July 1980. This event was not conducted in 1976, it was last held in 1972.
These are the official results of the men's 50 kilometres walk event at the 1983 World Championships held on 12 August 1983 in Helsinki, Finland.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km Walk event at the 1987 World Championships in Rome, Italy. The race was held on Saturday September 5, 1987.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km Walk event at the 1995 World Championships held on Thursday 10 August 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden. There were a total number of 41 participating athletes.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km walk event at the 1986 European Championships in Stuttgart, West Germany, held on 31 August 1986.
These are the official results of the Men's 50 km Walk event at the 1997 World Championships held on Thursday 7 August 1997 in Athens, Greece. There were a total number of 42 participating athletes.
Godfried Dejonckheere is a retired Belgian race walker.
The 50 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event. The racewalking 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. Fifty kilometres is approximately 31 miles.
