Race walking, or racewalking, 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 assess that this is maintained throughout the race. Typically held on either roads or running tracks, common distances range from 3,000 metres (1.9 mi) up to 100 kilometres (62.1 mi).
The 20 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event that is competed by both men and women. 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.
The women's 20 kilometres walk at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, was held on 11 August on a route along The Mall and Constitution Hill.
The 50 kilometre race walk was an Olympic athletics event that first appeared in 1932 and made its final Olympic appearance in 2021. 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.
Nadiya Borovska is a Ukrainian race walker. She competed in the 20 kilometres event at the 2012 Summer Olympics finishing in 16th place. In 2018, she competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event at the European Athletics Championships held in Berlin, Germany. She finished in 10th place.
The 2014 IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held in Taicang, China, on 3–4 May 2014. The course was a 2 km loop along Shanghai Road between Banjing Road and Loujiang Road in the centre of the city. It has already been used for the annual IAAF World Race Walking Challenge event. Detailed reports on the event and an appraisal of the results was given for the IAAF.
Racewalking events at the Summer Olympics have been contested over a variety of distances at the multi-sport event. There were three race walking events in the 2020 Summer Olympics: a men's and a women's 20 kilometres race walk, and a men's 50 kilometres race walk. The races were held in a final-only format.
María Guadalupe González Romero, better known as Lupita González, is a Mexican racewalker. She was the silver medalist in the 20km walk at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. She was also the gold medalist at the 2015 Pan American Games and is the Mexican national record holder in the 20 kilometres race walk.
Alana Barber is a New Zealand race walker who won a silver medal in the 20 km race walk at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Antonella Palmisano is an Italian racewalker, 3rd at 2017 World Championships, 4th at 2016 Summer Olympics and 5th at 2015 World Championships in 20 km race walk and 1st in the same event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
The 2016 IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships was the 27th edition of the global team racewalking competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held in Rome, Italy from 7 to 8 May 2016. It was the first edition of the tournament under its new name, having previously been known as the IAAF World Race Walking Cup since 1989.
Yehualeye Beletew Mitiku is an Ethiopian race walker. She competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In 2019, she competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar. She finished in 16th place. She competed in the women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Valentina Trapletti is a female racewalker from Italy, who participated at three World championships and won seven national titles. She competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in 20 km walk.
Yang Jiayu is a Chinese race walker and Olympic champion. She specialises in the women's 10 kilometres and 20 kilometres race walk events, and she holds the world record in the latter. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Yang won gold in the 20 kilometres walk. She also won the 20 kilometre walk at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics.
The women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 6 August 2021 in Sapporo. Approximately 60 athletes has qualified; the exact number depended on how many nations use universality places to enter athletes in addition to the number qualifying through time. The actual number of participants was 58 walkers, and the winner was Antonella Palmisano of Italy.
The women's 20 kilometres race walk at the 2019 World Athletics Championships was held at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on 29 September 2019.
Hanna Shevchuk is a Ukrainian racewalking athlete.
The women's 20 kilometres race walk at the 2022 World Athletics Championships was held on a 1 kilometer loop course on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. adjacent to Autzen Stadium in Eugene on 15 July 2022. 41 athletes from 26 nations entered to the event.
