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 vary from 3000 metres (1.8 mi) up to 100 kilometres (62.1 mi).
There are basically two racewalking distances that have been or are still contested at the Summer Olympics: the 20 kilometers race walk (men and women) and 50 kilometers race walk (men only). Both are held as road events and finishing on the track. The biennial IAAF World Championships in Athletics also features the same events with the addition of a womens 50 kilometers walk. The IAAF World Race Walking Cup, first held in 1961, is a stand-alone global competition for the discipline and it has 10 kilometers race walks for junior athletes, in addition to the Olympic-standard events. The IAAF World Indoor Championships featured 5000 m and 3000 m race walk variations, but these were discontinued after 1993. Top level athletics championships and games typically feature 20 km racewalking events.
2021 Update: Starting with the World Athletics Championships Oregon `22 and the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic the 50km distance has been dropped and changes to a 35km for both men and women.
The sport emerged from a British culture of long-distance competitive walking known as pedestrianism, which began to develop the rule set that is the basis of the modern discipline around the mid-19th century. Watching people walk was America's favorite spectator sport in the late 19th century. Since the mid-20th century onwards, Russian and Chinese athletes have been among the most successful on the global stage, with Europe and parts of Latin America producing most of the remaining top level walkers.
Compared to other forms of foot racing, stride length is reduced; to achieve competitive speeds racewalkers must attain cadence rates comparable to those achieved by world-class 800 meters runners.
The learn all about racewalking in the US go the USATF Race Walking site. For even more information beyond what is here on my site go to Dave McGovern's World Class Racewalking/Power Walking or Racewalk.com.
Written by Maurizio Damilano ; Technical Consultant Sandro Damilano (Saluzzo Race Walking School); produced by IAAF. Maurizio Damilano was the 1980 Olympic Champion and the 1987 and 1991 World Champion in the 20 km race walk.
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Four time Olympic medalist, three 50Km golds in a row, double gold medal winner Sydney Olympics 2000 - Robert Korzeniowski . Robert Korzeniowski Special K
has to be considered the greatest race walker ever.
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( 2026 Update ) — GYet another comeback attempt. New age group and time to get going.
( 2018 Update ) — Getting back into training and competitive walking and
I'll be updating these pages over time as I progress. ( Look out John S.! )
America's Walking is a new weekly fitness, travel and lifestyle series designed to get you walking. Hosted by Mark Fenton, the country's foremost expert on walking and pedestrian issues, the television series travels around the country interviewing leading experts and regular folks struggling to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle.
Check out Dave's website. Dave has been a national class racewalker for many years and a great competitor. Dave's World Class Racewalking Clinics have been getting rave reviews everywhere one is staged.
Race Walk Planet Radio, the only podcast devoted exclusively to news, information, results, and interviews about our favorite Olympic sport.