Sure, I watched basketball, boys and girls. Five on five. I watched triathlon, men and women. Slippery when wet. Even watched dressage, the Summer Games version of curling. Not allowed to watch beach volleyball, especially the Scandinavian nations. Bike racing awaits. Without Tadej Pogacar. WADA that all about, I wonder.
“But…but…but… Ohhhh, baby, you know what I like!”
Day One of Athletics
Race Walking
The first medal in track & field came in the men’s 20 km Walk amid 68 F temperatures and 92% humidity at 8 a.m. on a loop course in the middle of Paris, with Ecuador’s Brian Pintado taking the lead at nine kilometers and staying with the lead group until he moved away in the final thousand meters for a 14-second win in 1:18:55.
Brazil’s 2023 Worlds bronze winner Caio Bonfim won a very tight fight for second vs. 2023 World Champion Martin Alvaro (ESP) and defending champ Massimo Stano (ITA), 1:19:09 to 1:19:11 to 1:19:12.
It’s Pintado’s third Games; he was 37th in Rio in the 20 km and 12th in Tokyo.
Women’s race. Start delayed. Gives me time to remember how suspicious I am of every Chinese athlete.
Horn sounds at 9:50 with 73 F temps and 86% humidity. While humidity dropped to 67% during the race, conditions remained very tough. Not much shade.
A slight figure in red – Chinese – went through the first 8K in 34:26. Isn’t that a sub-seven-minute per mile pace? Imagine what this woman could do if she broke into a run.
Jiayu Yang, the world leader in 2024 at 1:26:07, led essentially from the start and was in front from the five kilometer mark on. She had a twelve-second lead by the seven km mark and won by 25 seconds in 1:25:54 over 2023 World Champion Maria Perez (ESP: 1:26:19).
Australia’s 2023 Worlds runner-up Jemima Montag moved up from fifth to third after 17 km and finished with the bronze at 1:26:25, with Lorena Arenas (COL: 1:27:03) in fourth.
During the 20km race walk, athletes must have one foot in contact with the floor at all times. Failure to do this is known as ‘lifting’. Added to this, the athlete’s advancing leg must straighten from the point it touches the ground until it passes under the body – this differentiates the discipline from running.
Race walking can be traced back to the 17th and 18th centuries, when competitors were footmen who would walk alongside their masters’ coaches.
The aristocracy of the day began to stake wagers as to which of their footmen would win a race – some of which lasted for six days – and the sport became an increasingly popular professional activity during the 19th century, when it was known as ‘pedestrianism.’
Race walking first appeared at the Olympics in 1904 with a half-mile race that was part of the 10-event ‘all-around championship’, an early forerunner of the decathlon.
There used to be a 50km men’s race walk at the Olympics but this was replaced with a marathon race walk mixed relay following the 2020 Games in Tokyo.
Back in the early 1970s, I should have become a race walker. There was Ron Laird and, checks notes, nobody else. Theoretically, less wear-and-tear than marathon running. But zero glamour. While my personal records may suggest otherwise, I am a runner.
What are the benefits of race walking?
Race Walking is very accessible, similar to long-distance running. Many runners who experience injuries turn to race walking as the impact on their joints is lower.
Race walking is a great form of exercise and helps boost cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and endurance.
What is the fastest race walk mile?
The fastest recorded race walk mile was 5:31 set in in 2017. OMG! Be serious.
How to get into race walking
Race walking is an accessible alternative to long-distance running. If you’re looking to get into race walking, there are several points to bear in mind:
- Make sure you practice the correct race walking technique, and ensure that at least one foot always stays in contact with the ground
- Start with regular walking and slowly increase your speed and distance, aiming to enjoy a 60-minute brisk walk three times a week
- Join a local club or race walking group, which can help you learn the techniques and establish a pace
- Increase your overall strength and fitness with other exercises
- Enjoy a healthy, balanced diet
- Understand what judges look for and why you may be shown a yellow warning paddle
- When confident, participate in competitions
My wife grimaces in pain. She’s just entered the room and glimpsed the chase pack and worries about those poor girls’ health. They do that for an hour-and-a-half, really?
Is race walking harder than running?
Depending on who you ask, you’ll likely get differing answers as to whether or not race walking is harder than running. The race walking technique can be challenging to perfect but can be very satisfying to master. Race walking is kinder to joints, so can be a more accessible alternative to long-distance running.
Is race walking good for you?
Yes, race walking is an excellent form of low-impact exercise with many benefits, including:
- Increased cardiovascular fitness
- Increased muscle strength
- Improved endurance
- Weight loss or weight management
- Stress reduction
- Increased mental health
- Improved balance
I race walked once. Like I have done so many things. Once is enough. A mile in 9:43 indoors at altitude. Trying to score points for the Sisu Striders.
Would Super Shoes for Race Walkers whip your hips around even weirder?
Sources: WorldAthletics.org. & Sports Examiner