The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XVIII Olympiad and commonly known as Tokyo 1964, were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki due to Japan's invasion of China, before ultimately being cancelled due to World War II. Tokyo was chosen as the host city during the 55th IOC Session in West Germany on 26 May 1959.
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. This is assessed by race judges. 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).
Volodymyr Stepanovych Holubnychy was a Soviet and Ukrainian race walker, who competed for the Soviet Union. He dominated the 20 kilometre race walk in the 1960s and 1970s, winning four Olympic medals from 1960 to 1972 and finishing seventh in 1976. He became Olympic champion in 1960 and 1968. He is regarded as one of the greatest race walkers of all time and competed at the Olympics on five occasions in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976.
Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. 204 competitors, 160 men and 44 women, took part in 124 events in 17 sports. British athletes have competed and won at least one gold medal in every Summer Olympic Games. Future Liberal Democrat leader Menzies Campbell represented Britain at the 200m.
The men's 50 kilometres walk was the longer of the two men's race walking events on the Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics program in Tokyo, as well as the longest event on the program. It was held on 18 October 1964. 39 athletes from 20 nations entered, with 34 starting and 31 finishing.
Dieter Lindner was an East German athlete who mainly competed in the 20 kilometre walk.
The Men's 20 km Race Walk event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 53 competitors. Three athletes were disqualified, while one walker did not finish the race. The race was held on Friday September 23, 1988.
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.
Caio Oliveira de Sena Bonfim is a Brazilian racewalker. In the 20 km walk, he is a bronze medalist at the 2017 World Championships, and finished 4th at the 2016 Olympic Games. His mother, Gianetti Bonfim, was also an international racewalker for Brazil.
Race walking events at the Summer Olympics have been contested over a variety of distances at the multi-sport event. There are three race walking events in the current Olympic athletics programme: a men's and a women's 20 kilometres walk, and a men's 50 kilometres walk. The races are held in a final-only format.
Teodorico Caporaso is a male Italian racewalker who won four international medals at senior level at the race walk competitions. He competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in 50 km walk.
Rhydian Cowley is an Australian race walker born in Glen Waverley, Victoria who specialises in the 50 kilometres race walk and 20 kilometres race walk. Cowley competed in the 2013 World Championships in Moscow and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. For both of his major championship competitions, Cowley qualified in the 20 kilometres race walk. He has also competed at a Summer Universiade, five World Race Walking Cups, and a World Junior Championships. In 2021, he competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo where he finished in 8th in the men's 50 kilometres walk with a new personal best time of 3:52.01 just 113 seconds behind the eventual winner Dawid Tomala of Poland.
Wayne Snyman is a South African race walker. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Men’s 20 km walk. He finished in 58th place with a time of 1:29:20. In 2019, he competed in the men's 20 kilometres walk at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar. He finished in 38th place.
Anatoly Stepanovich Vedyakov was a Soviet racewalker. He competed in the men's 20 kilometres walk and men's 50 kilometres walk at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The men's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 5 August 2021 in Sapporo. Approximately 60 athletes competed; the exact number was dependent on how many nations use universality places to enter athletes in addition to the number qualifying through time. The reigning champion is Wang Zhen of China.
The men's 50 kilometres walk event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 6 August 2021 in Sapporo. 59 athletes competed; the exact number was dependent on how many nations use universality places to enter athletes in addition to the number qualifying through time.
Eduard Ihorevych Zabuzhenko is a Ukrainian racewalker. He represented Ukraine at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar and at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
Jonathan Hilbert is a German racewalker. He won the silver medal in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan. In 2019, he competed in the men's 50 kilometres walk at the 2019 World Athletics Championships held in Doha, Qatar. He finished in 23rd place.
The 2021 British Athletics Marathon and 20 km Walk Trial was held on 26 March 2021 as a trial event for British athletes to qualify for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It was the first time since 1980 that a dedicated marathon trial event was held, and the courses consisted of multiple laps around Kew Gardens in London.
