Race walking at the Olympics Race walking at the Olympics 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. The first men's events came at the 1908 London Olympics, which featured 3500 m and 10-mile distances. A 10-kilometre version was introduced at the 1912 Summer Olympics and it continued until 1952 (skipping three editions from 1928–1936). There was also a one-off
2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 20 kilometres walk 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 20 kilometres walk ] The Women's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held on a loop course starting and finishing at Gukchae - bosang Memorial Park on August 31. Olga Kaniskina of Russia looked to continue a series of major victories which had seen her win consecutive world titles (2007, 2009), the 2008 Olympic title and a gold medal at the 2010 European Championships. Two other Russians, Vera Sokolova and Anisya Kirdyapkina, had walked the two fastest times ever for the distance that February and comprised her