Updated: December 14, 2020

Racewalking in the Olympics

Walking as an Olympic event was introduced in the 1906 Athens games.

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In the Olympics Since the 1906 Athens Games

Walking as an Olympic event was introduced in the 1906 Athens games. The 1906 games where staged two years after the 1904 St Louis games and are considered the Interim games. A 1500 meter and 3,000 meter walk was held. In 1908 theses two walk were replaced with a 3500 meter walk as well as a 10 mile walk.

1912 saw the 10,000 meter walk as the only walking event. In 1932 the Los Angeles games saw the 50 kilometer distance contested for the first time. It wasn't until the 1956 Melbourne games the the 20 kilometer was introduced. The 20 and 50 kilometer walks have been the two distance contested by the men in every Olympiad since Melbourne except when the 50k walk was the only walk in Montreal. A 10,000 meter womens walk was added in the Barcelona games for 1992. And moved up to the 20 km mark in the 2000 Olympics for the women.

Olympic Medalists and Records

Olympic Medalists

Olympic Records - Men

Olympic Records - Women

  • 20 KILOMETRES WALK 1:29:05 Olga Kaniskina RUS at Beijing Olympics August 21, 2008

2020 Olympic Entry Standards

  • 20 Km Walk - Men 1:21:00
  • 20 Km Walk - Women 1:31:00
  • 20 Km Walk 3:50:00

1896 Athens

The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era. Because Ancient Greece was the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Athens was considered to be an appropriate choice to stage the inaugural modern Games. It was unanimously chosen as the host city during a congress organised by Pierre de Coubertin, a French pedagogue and historian, in Paris, on 23 June 1894. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was also instituted during this congress.

WidipediA: 1896 Summer Olympics

No Walks

1900 Paris

The 1900 Summer Olympics, today officially known as the Games of the II Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1900 in Paris, France. No opening or closing ceremonies were held; competitions began on May 14 and ended on October 28. The Games were held as part of the 1900 World's Fair. 997 competitors took part in 19 different sports. Women took part in the games for the first time and sailor Hélène de Pourtalès became the first female Olympic champion. The decision to hold competitions on a Sunday brought protests from many American athletes, who travelled as representatives of their colleges and were expected to withdraw rather than compete on their religious day of rest.

WidipediA: 1900 Summer Olympics

No Walks

Olympic poster 1896 Olympic poster 1900

1904 St. Louis

The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from August 29 until September 3, 1904, as part of an extended sports program lasting from July 1 to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. It was the first time that the Olympic Games were held in a majority English language nation, and the first time that they were held outside of Europe.

WidipediA: 1904 Summer Olympics

No Walks

Olympic poster 1904

1906 Athens

The 1906 Intercalated Games or 1906 Olympic Games was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in Athens, Greece. They were at the time considered to be Olympic Games and were referred to as the "Second International Olympic Games in Athens" by the International Olympic Committee

WidipediA: 1906 Summer Olympics

1500m Walk

  • George Bonhag USA 7:12.6 (Olympic record)
  • Donald Linden CAN 7:19.8
  • Konstantin Spetsiotis GRE 7:22.0

3000 Walk

  • György Sztantics HUN 15:13.2
  • Hermann Müller GER 15:20.0
  • Georgios Saridakis GRE 15:33.0

1908 London

The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece, from 6 to 15 April 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era. Because Ancient Greece was the birthplace of the Olympic Games, Athens was considered to be an appropriate choice to stage the inaugural modern Games. It was unanimously chosen as the host city during a congress organised by Pierre de Coubertin, a French pedagogue and historian, in Paris, on 23 June 1894. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was also instituted during this congress.

WidipediA: 1908 Summer Olympics

3500 Walk

10 Miles Walk

1912 Stockholm

The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,408 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports. With the exception of tennis (starting on 5 May) and football and shooting (both starting on 29 June), the games were held within a month with an official opening on 6 July. It was the last Olympics to issue solid gold medals and, with Japan's debut, the first time an Asian nation participated. Stockholm was the only bid for the games, and was selected in 1909.

WidipediA: 1912 Summer Olympics

10,000m Walk

  • George Goulding CAN 46:28.4
  • Ernest Webb GBR 46:50.4
  • Frenando Altimani ITA 47:37.6
  • DNF Frank Kaiser USA

USA Walkers

  • 1st Heat: 6. Sam Schwarts USA 50:30.8
  • 1st Heat: 7. Edward Renz USA 50:30.8
  • 2nd Heat: 5. Frank Kaiser USA 50:30.8
  • 2nd Heat: 6. Arthur Voelmeke USA 50:30.8
Olympic poster 1912 Olympic poster 1912

1920 Antwerp

WidipediA: 1920 Summer Olympics

3,000m Walk

USA Walkers

  1. Thomas Maroney USA 13:26.8
  • 1st Heat: 3. Thomas Maroney USA
  • 1st Heat: 11. Joe Pearman USA
  • 2nd Heat: 3. Richard Remer USA
  • 2nd Heat: 4. William Roelker USA

10,000m Walk

USA Walkers

  1. Thomas Maroney USA 50:20.6
  • 1st Heat: 2. Joe Pearman USA 47:30.2
  • 1st Heat: 7. William Roelker USA
  • 2nd Heat: 3. Thomas Maroney USA
  • 2nd Heat: 4. Willie Plant USA

1924 Paris

WidipediA: 1924 Summer Olympics

10,000m Walk

  • Ugo Frigerio ITA 47:49.0
  • Reginald Goodwin GBR 48:37.9
  • Cecil McMaster SAF 49:08.0

USA Walkers

  1. Harry Hinkel USA

USA Walkers

  • 1st Heat: 3 - Harry Hinkel USA
  • 2nd Heat: 9 - Charles Foster USA
  • Final: 9 - Harry Hinkel USA
250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

1928 Amsterdam

WidipediA: 1928 Summer Olympics

  • No Walks

    • 1932 Los Angeles

    WidipediA: 1935 Summer Olympics

    50K Walk

    • Tommy Green GBR 4:50:10
    • Janis Dalinch LAT 4:57:20
    • Ugo Frigerio ITA 4:59:06

    USA Walkers

    1. Ernie Crosbie USA 5:28:01
    2. Bill Chisholm USA 5:51:00
    • DNF Harry Hinkel USA
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    Flag of Germany 1936 Berlin

    WidipediA: 1936 Summer Olympics

    50K Walk

    • Harold Whitlock GBR 4:30:41.4 (Olympic record)
    • Arthur Schwab SUI 4:32:10
    • Adalberts Bubenko LAT 4:32:43

    USA Walkers

    1. Albert Mangan USA 5:12:00.0
    1. Ernest Koehler USA 5:20:18.4
    1. Ernie Crosbie USA 5:31:44.2

    1948 London

    WidipediA: 1948 Summer Olympics

    10K Walk

    • John Mikaelsson SWE 45:13.2
    • Ingemar Johansson SWE 45:43.8
    • Fritz Schwab SUI 46:00.2
    • 1st Heat: disq Ernest Weber USA
    • 1st Heat: disq Fred Sharaga USA
    • 2nd Heat: 7 - Henry Laskau USA

    50K Walk

    • John Ljunggren SEW 4:41:52
    • Gaston Godel SUI 4:48:17
    • Tebbs Lloyd Johnson* GBR 4:48:31 - Tebbs at 48 became the oldest Olympic atheletics medalist. (So there is hope.)

    USA Walkers

    1. Ernie Crosbie USA 5:15:16.0
    1. John Deni USA 5:28:33.0
    2. Adolph Weinacker USA 5:30:14.0
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1952 Helsinki

    WidipediA: 1952 Summer Olympics

    10K Walk

    • John Mikaelsson SWE 45:02.8
    • Fritz Schwab SUI 45:41.0
    • Bruno Junk URS 45:41.0
    • 1st Heat: disq Henry Laskau USA
    • 2nd Heat: 9 - Price King USA 51:08.6

    50K Walk

    • Giuseppe Dordoni ITA 4:28:07.8 (Olympic record)
    • Josef Dolezal TCH 4:30:18
    • Antal Roka HUN 4:32:28

    USA Walkers

    1. Adolph Weinacker USA 5:01:00.4
    • DNF Leo Sjogren USA
    • DNF John Deni USA

    1956 Melborne

    WidipediA: 1956 Summer Olympics

    20K Walk

    • Leonid Spirin URS 1:31:27.4
    • Antanas Mikenas URS 1:32:03
    • Burno Junk URS 1:32:12

    USA Walkers

    1. Henry Laskau USA 1:38:46.8
    1. Bruce McDonald USA 1:43:25.6
    2. Jim Hewson USA 1:46:24.8

    50K Walk

    • Norman Read NZL 4:30:42.8
    • Yevgeniy Maskinskov URS 4:32:57
    • John Ljunggren SWE 4:35:02

    USA Walkers

    1. Adolph Weinacker USA 5:00:16
    1. Elliott Denman USA 5:12:14
    2. Leo Sjogres USA 5:12:34
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1960 Rome

    WidipediA: 1960 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Ron Zinn USA 1:42:47.0
    1. Bob Mimm USA 1:45:09.0
    2. Rudy Haluza USA 1:45:11.0

    50k Walk

    • Donald Thompson GBR 4:25:30 (Olymipc record)
    • John Ljunggren SWE 4:25:47
    • Abdon Parnich ITA 4:27:56

    USA Walkers

    1. Ron Laird USA 4:53:21.6
    1. Bruce McDonald USA 5:00:47.6
    2. John Allen USA 5:03:15.2

    1964 Toyko

    WidipediA: 1964 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    • Kenneth Mathews GBR 1:29:34.0 (Olympic record)
    • Dieter Linder GER (GDR) 1:31:14
    • Vladimir Golubnichiy URS 1:32:00

    USA Walkers

    1. Ron Zinn USA 1:32:43
    1. Jack Mortland USA 1:36:35

    50k Walk

    • Abdon Parnich ITA 4:11:12.4 (world best)
    • Paul Nahill GBR 4:11:32
    • Ingvar Pettersson SWE 4:14:18

    USA Walkers

    1. 21. Chris McCarthy USA 4:35:41.6
      1. 26. Bruce McDonald USA 4:45:10.4
        1. 29. Mike Brodie USA 4:57:41.0
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1968 Mexico City

    WidipediA: 1968 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    Flag of Germany 1972 Munich

    WidipediA: 1972 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Larry Young USA 1:32:53.4 (WikipediA link )
    1. Tom Dooley USA 1:34:58.8
    1. Goetz Klopfer USA 1:38:33.6

    50k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Bill Weigle USA 4:22:53.2
    1. Steve Hayden USA 4:36:07.2
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1976 Montreal

    WidipediA: 1976 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    • Danial Bautista MEX 1:24:40.6 (Olympic record)
    • Hans-Georg Reimann GDR 1:25:14
    • Peter Frankel GDR 1:25:30

    USA Walkers

    1. Ron Laird USA 1:33:27.6
    1. Larry Walker USA 1:34:19.4
    1. Todd Scully 1:36:37.4

    50k Walk Not Held

    The World Championships was started in 1976 in response to the International Olympic Committee dropping the men's 50 km walk from the Olympic athletics program for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, despite its constant presence at the games since 1932.

    1980 Moscow

    WidipediA: 1980 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    • Maurizio Damilano ITL 1:23:35.5 (Olympic record)
    • Pyotr Pochinchuk USR 1:24:46
    • Ronald Wieser GDR 1:25:59

    50k Walk

    • Hartwig Guader GDR 3:49:24.0 (Olympic record)
    • Jorge Llopart ESP 3:51:25
    • Yevgeniy Ivchenko URS 3:56:32

    USA boycotted the 1980 Olympics.

    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1984 Los Angeles

    WidipediA: 1984 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Marco Evoniuk USA 1:25:42
    1. Jim Heiring USA 1:30:20
    1. Dan O'Connor USA 1:35:12

    50k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Carl Schueler USA 3:59:46
    1. Vince O'Sullivan USA 4:22:51
    • DNF Marco Evoniuk USA

    1988 Seoul

    WidipediA: 1988 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Gary Morgan USA 1:27:26
    2. Jim Heiring USA 1:27:30
    1. Tim Lewis USA 1:31:00

    50k Walk

    USA Walkers

    1. Marco Evoniuk USA
    2. Carl Schueler USA
    1. Marco Evoniuk USA 3:56:55
    2. Carl Schueler USA 3:57:44
    1. Andy Kaestner USA 4:12:49
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    1992 Barcalona

    WidipediA: 1992 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    1996 Atlanta

    WidipediA: 1996 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    2000 Sydney

    WidipediA: 2000 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    • Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 1:18:59 (Olympic record)
    • Noe Hernández (MEX) 1:19:03
    • Vladimir Andreyev (RUS) 1:19:27

    USA Walkers

    1. Timothy Seaman USA 1:30:32

    50k Walk - Men

    • Robert Korzeniowski (POL) 3:42:22
    • Aigars Fadejevs (LAT) 3:43:40
    • Joel Sánchez (MEX) 3:44:36

      • USA Walkers

      1. Curt Clausen USA 3:58:39
      1. Phillip Dunn USA 4:03:05
      1. Andrew Hermann USA 4:07:18

      20k Walk - Women

      • Wang, Liping (CHN) 1:29:05
      • Tysse-Plätzer, Kjersti (NOR) 1:29:33
      • Vasco, María (ESP) 1:30:23

      USA Walkers

      1. Michelle Rohl (USA) 1:34:26
      1. Yueling Chen (USA) 1:39:36
      1. Debbi Lawrence (USA) 1:47:20

    2004 Athens

    WidipediA: 2004 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    USA Walkers

    1. Timothy Seaman (USA) 1:25:17
    2. Kevin Eastler (USA) 1:25:20
    1. John Nunn (USA) 1:27:38

    20k Walk - Men

    USA Walkers

    1. Curt Clausen (USA) 4:11:31
    1. Phillip Dunn (USA) 4:12:49

    20k Walk - Women

    • Tsoumeléka Athanasía (GRE) 1:29:12 (PB)
    • Ivanova Olimpiada (RUS) 1:29:16
    • Saville Jane (AUS) 1:29:25

    USA Walkers

    1. Vaill Teresa (USA) 1:38:47
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    2008 Beijing

    WidipediA: 2008 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    • Valeriy BORCHIN (RUS) 1:19:01
    • Jefferson Perez , (ECU) 1:19:15 (SB)
    • Jared TALLENT (AUS) 1:19:42

      • USA Walkers

      1. Kevin EASTLER (USA) 1:28:44

      50k Walk - Men

      • Alex SCHWAZER (ITA) 3:37:09 (OR)
      • Jared TALLENT (AUS) 3:39:2 (PB)
      • Denis Nizhegorodov (RUS) 3:40:14

        • USA Walkers

        1. Phillip DUNN (USA) 4:08:32

        20k Walk - Women

        • Olga KANISKINA (RUS) 1:26:31 (OR)
        • Kjersti Tysse PLATZER (NOR) 1:27:07 (NR)
        • Elisa RIGAUDO ITA 1:27:12 (PB)

        USA Walkers

        1. Joanne DOW (USA) 1:34:15 (SB)

    2012 London

    WidipediA: 2012 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    • Ding CHEN CHN 1:18:46
    • Erick BARRONDO GUA 1:18:57
    • Zhen WANG CHN 1:19:25

    USA Walkers

    1. Trevor BARRON USA 1:22:46

    50k Walk - Men

    • Sergey KIRDYAPKIN RUS 3:35:59
    • Jared TALLENT AUS 3:36:53
    • Tianfeng SI CHN 3:37:16
    1. John NUNN USA 4:03:28

    20k Walk - Women

    • Elena LASHMANOVA RUS 1:25:02
    • Olga KANISKINA RUS 1:25:09
    • Shenjie QIEYANG CHN 1:25:16

    USA Walkers

    1. Maria MICHTA USA 1:32:27
    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    2016 Rio de Janeiro

    The 2016 Summer Olympics (Portuguese: Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad and as Rio 2016, is a major international multi-sport event due to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).They are scheduled to be held from August 5 to 21, 2016.

    WidipediA: 2016 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    • Zhen WANG CHN 1:19:14
    • Zelin CAI WANG CNH 1:19:26
    • Dane BIRD-SMITH AUS 1:19:37

    50k Walk - Men

    • Matej TOTH SVK 3:40:58
    • Jared TALENT AUS 3:41:16
    • Hirooki ARAI JPN 3:41:24

    USA Walkers

    1. John NUNN USA 4:16:12

    20k Walk - Women

    • Hong LIU CHN 1:28:35
    • maria Guadalape CONZALEZ MEX 1:28:37
    • Xiuzhi LU CHN 1:28:42

    USA Walkers

    1. Maria MICHTA-COFFEY USA 1:33:36
    1. Miranda MELVILLE USA 1:35:48

    2020 Tokyo

    The 2020 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad (Japanese: 第三十二回オリンピック競技大会 Hepburn: Dai Sanjūni-kai Orinpikku Kyōgi Taikai)[2] and commonly known as Tokyo 2020, is an upcoming international multi-sport event that is scheduled to take place from July 24 to August 9 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

    Originally due to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the event was postponed in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] Despite being rescheduled for 2021, the Games have retained the "Tokyo 2020" name for marketing and branding purposes. This marks the first time that the Olympic Games have been postponed rather than canceled altogether.

    WidipediA: 2020 Summer Olympics

    20k Walk - Men

    50k Walk - Men

    20k Walk - Women

    250px-1920_olympics_poster.jpg 1924_1.png

    2024 Paris

    The 2024 Summer Olympics (French: Jeux olympiques d'été de 2024), officially known as the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad (French: Jeux de la XXXIIIe Olympiade), and commonly known as Paris 2024, is a forthcoming international multi-sport event that is scheduled to take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024 in Paris, France.

    WidipediA: 2024 Summer Olympics

    2028 Los Angeles

    The 2028 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad, and commonly known as LA 2028, is a forthcoming international multi-sport event that is scheduled to take place from July 21 to August 6, 2028, in Los Angeles, California, United States.

    WidipediA: 2028 Summer Olympics

    2024_1.png 2028_1.png

    Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee

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