The 50 kilometre race walk was an Olympic

athletics Athletics may refer to: Sports * Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking ** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport * Athletics (physical culture), competi ...

event that first appeared in

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort to assassinate Emperor Hiro ...

and made its final Olympic appearance in

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. The

racewalking 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. Race judges carefully asse ...

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. 50 kilometres is approximately 31 miles. The 50 kilometres race walk was dropped from the Olympic program after the 2020 Tokyo Games in 2021 and will be replaced by a mixed team race in order to achieve gender equality.

World records

The men's

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

for the 50 km race walk was held by Denis Nizhegorodov, through his race of 3:34:14 in

Cheboksary Cheboksary (; russian: Чебокса́ры, r=Cheboksáry, p=tɕɪbɐˈksarɨ; cv, Шупашкар, ''Şupaşkar'') is the capital city of Chuvashia, Russia and a port on the Volga River. Geography The city is located in the Volga Upland reg ...

in 2008, until it was beaten by Yohann Diniz at the

2014 European Athletics Championships The 2014 European Athletics Championships was held in Zürich, Switzerland, between 12 and 17 August 2014. It was the first time that Switzerland had hosted the European Athletics Championships since 1954. Great Britain headed the medal table, wi ...

in Zurich, in a time of 3:32:33.

All-time top 25

Men

*Correct as of December 2021.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 3:38:17: * Yohann Diniz also walked 3:33:12 (2017), 3:37:43 (2019), 3:37:48 (2016). * Denis Nizhegorodov also walked 3:35:29 (2004), 3:38:02 (2006). * Matej Tóth also walked 3:36:21 (2014). *

Robert Korzeniowski Robert Marek Korzeniowski (born 30 July 1968) is a Polish former racewalker who won four gold medals at the Olympic Games and three gold medals at World Championships. Biography Korzeniowski was born in Lubaczów, and is the brother of fello ...

also walked 3:36:39 (2002). *

Alex Schwazer Alex Schwazer, OMRI (born 26 December 1984), is an Italian race walker. He was the 2008 Olympic 50k walk champion. He retired during the 2012 Olympics after being disqualified for doping offences. Biography Schwazer was born in Sterzing, Sou ...

also walked 3:37:04 (2008), 3:37:09 (2008). *

Robert Heffernan Robert Heffernan (born 28 February 1978) is an Irish race walker. Career At the 2000 Olympics he finished in 28th place, and at the 2004 Olympics he was disqualified, both in the 20 km race walking discipline. At the 2008 Olympic Games ...

also walked 3:37:56 (2013).

Women

*Correct as of June 2021.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 4:15:46: * Margarita Nikiforova also walked 4:03:07 (2021). * Inês Henriques also walked 4:08:26 (2017), 4:09:21 (2018), 4:13:57 (2019). * Yin Hang also walked 4:09:09 (2018). *

Claire Tallent Claire Woods (born 6 July 1981), also known as Claire Tallent, is an Australian racewalker. Early life and education Claire Woods was born on 6 July 1981. She attended Mary MacKillop College in the Adelaide suburb of Kensington, graduating i ...

also walked 4:12:44 (2019). * Júlia Takács also walked 4:13:04 (2018), 4:15:22 (2018). * Ma Faying also walked 4:13:28 (2018). * Johana Ordóñez also walked 4:14:28 (2018). * Monica Svensson also walked 4:14:38 (2009). * Klavdiya Afanasyeva also walked 4:14:46 (2018). * Li Maocuo also walked 4:14:47 (2018). * Mirna Ortíz also walked 4:15:21 (2019).

Olympic medalists

Men’s

World Championships medalists

Men’s

Women’s

Notes

References

External links

50 kilometres race walk all time – men
from IAAF
IAAF list of 50-kilometres-race-walk records in XML
{{Athletics events Racewalking distances Summer Olympic disciplines in athletics