# 20 kilometres race walk

The 20 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event that is competed by both men and women. The racewalking 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.

## World records

The men's world record for the 20 km race walk is held by Yusuke Suzuki, who walked 1:16:36 at the Asian Race Walking Championships in his home town of Nomi, Japan. Suzuki's new World Record came exactly one week after Yohann Diniz's mark who walked a then record time of 1:17:02 in Arles at the 2015 French championships. The women's world record of 1:23:49 was set by Yang Jiayu of China in 2021. Russian Elena Lashmanova, has served a previous ban for doping, currently holds a quicker time of 1:23:39 which is also the European record, but it has never been ratified as a world record.

## All-time top 25

* Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 20km walk times and the top 25 athletes:
* - denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 20km walk times
* - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 20km walk times, by repeat athletes
* - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 20km walk times

### Men

* Correct as of February 2025.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 1:16:10 | Toshikazu Yamanishi | Japan | 16 February 2025 | Kobe |
| 2 | 2 | 1:16:36 | Yusuke Suzuki | Japan | 15 March 2015 | Nomi |
| 3 | 3 | 1:16:43 | Sergey Morozov | Russia | 8 June 2008 | Saransk |
| 4 | 4 | 1:16:51 | Koki Ikeda | Japan | 18 February 2024 | Kobe |
| 5 | 5 | 1:16:54 | Kaihua Wang | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| 6 | 6 | 1:17:02 | Yohann Diniz | France | 8 March 2015 | Arles |
| | 7 | 1:17:15 | Yamanishi #2 | | 17 March 2019 | Nomi |
| 7 | 8 | 1:17:16 | Vladimir Kanaykin | Russia | 29 September 2007 | Saransk |
| | 9 | 1:17:20 | Yamanishi #3 | | 21 February 2021 | Kobe |
| 8 | 10 | 1:17:21 | Jefferson Pérez | Ecuador | 22 August 2003 | Stade de France, Paris-St-Denis |
| 9 | 11 | 1:17:22 | Francisco Javier Fernandez | Spain | 28 April 2002 | Turku |
| 10 | 12 | 1:17:23 | Vladimir Stankin | Russia | 28 February 2004 | Adler, Sochi |
| | 13 | 1:17:24 | Diniz #2 | | 15 March 2015 | Lugano |
| 11 | 13 | 1:17:24 | Masatora Kawano | Japan | 17 March 2019 | Nomi |
| 12 | 13 | 1:17:24 | Satoshi Maruo | Japan | 16 February 2025 | Kobe |
| 13 | 16 | 1:17:25 | Sergey Shirobokov | Russia | 9 June 2018 | Cheboksary |
| | 15 | 1:17:25 | Ikeda#2 | Japan | 17 March 2019 | Nomi |
| 14 | 18 | 1:17:26 | Eiki Takahashi | Japan | 18 February 2018 | Kobe |
| 14 | 18 | 1:17:26 | Massimo Stano | Italy | 3 March 2024 | Taicang |
| 14 | 18 | 1:17:26 | Jun Zhang | China | 3 March 2024 | Taicang |
| 17 | 21 | 1:17:32 | Álvaro Martín | Spain | 19 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 18 | 22 | 1:17:33 | Nathan Deakes | Australia | 23 April 2005 | Cixi City |
| | 23 | 1:17:36 | Kanaykin #2 | | 17 June 2007 | Cheboksary |
| 19 | 24 | 1:17:36 | Zhen Wang | China | 30 March 2012 | Taicang |
| | 24 | 1:17:36 | Yamanishi #4 | | 18 February 2018 | Kobe |
| 20 | | 1:17:37 | Caio Bonfim | Brazil | 16 February 2025 | Kobe |
| 21 | | 1:17:38 | Valeriy Borchin | Russia | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| 22 | | 1:17:38 | Kento Yoshikawa | Japan | 16 February 2025 | Kobe |
| 23 | | 1:17:39 | Zelin Cai | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| 24 | | 1:17:39 | Perseus Karlström | Sweden | 19 August 2023 | Budapest |
| 25 | | 1:17:40 | Ding Chen | China | 30 March 2012 | Taicang |

### Women

* Correct as of August 2023.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
| 1 | 1 | 1:23:39 | Yelena Lashmanova | Russia | 9 June 2018 | Cheboksary |
| 2 | 2 | 1:23:49 | Yang Jiayu | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| 3 | 3 | 1:24:27 | Hong Liu | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| | 4 | 1:24:31 | Lashmanova #2 | | 18 February 2019 | Sochi |
| | 5 | 1:24:38 | Liu #2 | | 6 June 2015 | La Coruna |
| 4 | 6 | 1:24:45 | Shijie Qieyang | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| 5 | 7 | 1:24:47 | Elmira Alembekova | Russia | 27 February 2015 | Sochi |
| 6 | 8 | 1:24:50 | Olimpiada Ivanova | Russia | 4 March 2001 | Adler, Sochi |
| 7 | 9 | 1:24:56 | Olga Kaniskina | Russia | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| | 10 | 1:24:58 | Lashmanova #3 | | 25 June 2016 | Cheboksary |
| 8 | 11 | 1:25:03 | Marina Novikova | Russia | 27 February 2015 | Sochi |
| 9 | 12 | 1:25:04 | Svetlana Vasilyeva | Russia | 27 February 2015 | Sochi |
| 10 | 13 | 1:25:08 | Vera Sokolova | Russia | 26 February 2011 | Sochi |
| | 14 | 1:25:11 | Kaniskina #2 | | 23 February 2008 | Adler, Sochi |
| 11 | 14 | 1:25:11 | Anisiya Kornikova-Kirdyapkina | Russia | 20 February 2010 | Sochi |
| 12 | 16 | 1:25:12 | Xiuzhi Lyu | China | 20 March 2015 | Beijing |
| | 17 | 1:25:16 | Qieyang #2 | | 11 August 2012 | Olympic Stadium, London |
| 13 | 18 | 1:25:18 | Tatyana Gudkova | Russia | 19 May 2000 | Moskva |
| | 18 | 1:25:18 | Lashmanova #4 | | 18 February 2017 | Sochi |
| 14 | 20 | 1:25:20 | Olga Polyakova | Russia | 19 May 2000 | Moskva |
| 15 | 21 | 1:25:22 | Yekaterina Medvedeva | Russia | 18 February 2017 | Sochi |
| | 22 | 1:25:26 | Sokolova #2 | | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| | 22 | 1:25:26 | Kornikova-Kirdyapkina #2 | | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| | 24 | 1:25:27 | Alembekova #2 | | 18 February 2012 | Sochi |
| 16 | 25 | 1:25:29 | Irina Stankina | Russia | 19 May 2000 | Moskva |
| 16 | 25 | 1:25:29 | Glenda Morejón | Ecuador | 8 June 2019 | La Coruna |
| 18 | | 1:25:30 | María Pérez | Spain | 26 March 2023 | Córdoba |
| 19 | | 1:25:32 | Yelena Shumkina | Russia | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| 20 | | 1:25:46 | Tatyana Shemyakina | Russia | 23 February 2008 | Adler, Sochi |
| 21 | | 1:25:52 | Larisa Yemelyanova | Russia | 28 February 2009 | Adler, Sochi |
| 21 | | 1:25:52 | Tatyana Sibileva | Russia | 20 February 2010 | Sochi |
| 23 | | 1:25:59 | Tamara Kovalenko | Russia | 19 May 2000 | Moskva |
| 23 | | 1:25:59 | Liujing Yang | China | 20 March 2021 | Huangshan |
| 25 | | 1:26:11 | Margarita Turava | Belarus | 15 April 2006 | Nesvizh |

#### Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:26:11:
* Liu Hong also walked 1:25:46 (2012), 1:25:56 (2016, 2019), 1:26:00 (2012).
* Yelena Lashmanova also walked 1:25:41 (2021), 1:25:49 (2013).
* Olga Kaniskina also walked 1:25:42 (2008), 1:25:54 (2016), 1:26:02 (2006).
* Vera Sokolova also walked 1:25:35 (2010), 1:25:38 (2015), 1:26:00 (2013).
* Anisiya Kornikova-Kirdyapkina also walked 1:25:30 (2008), 1:25:59 (2013).
* Yang Jiayu also walked 1:25:34 (2019), 1:25:54 (2024).
* Shenjie Qieyang also walked 1:25:37 (2019).
* Olimpiada Ivanova also walked 1:25:41 (2005), 1:26:08 (2000).
* Lü Xiuzhi also walked 1:25:51 (2021).
The following athletes have had their performances (inside 1:26:11) annulled due to doping offence:
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref |
| 1:25:09 | Olga Kaniskina | Russia | 11 August 2012 | London | |
| 1:25:59 | Liu Hong | China | 7 May 2016 | Rome | |

## Olympic medalists
### Men

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

### Women

| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

## World Championships medalists
### Men

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1983 Helsinki details | Ernesto Canto (MEX) | Jozef Pribilinec (TCH) | Yevgeniy Yevsyukov (URS) |
| 1987 Rome details | Maurizio Damilano (ITA) | Jozef Pribilinec (TCH) | Josep Marín (ESP) |
| 1991 Tokyo details | Maurizio Damilano (ITA) | Mikhail Shchennikov (URS) | Yevgeniy Misyulya (URS) |
| 1993 Stuttgart details | Valentí Massana (ESP) | Giovanni De Benedictis (ITA) | Daniel Plaza (ESP) |
| 1995 Gothenburg details | Michele Didoni (ITA) | Valentí Massana (ESP) | Yevgeniy Misyulya (BLR) |
| 1997 Athens details | Daniel García (MEX) | Mikhail Shchennikov (RUS) | Mikhail Khmelnitskiy (BLR) |
| 1999 Seville details | Ilya Markov (RUS) | Jefferson Pérez (ECU) | Daniel García (MEX) |
| 2001 Edmonton details | Roman Rasskazov (RUS) | Ilya Markov (RUS) | Viktor Burayev (RUS) |
| 2003 Saint-Denis details | Jefferson Pérez (ECU) | Paquillo Fernández (ESP) | Roman Rasskazov (RUS) |
| 2005 Helsinki details | Jefferson Pérez (ECU) | Paquillo Fernández (ESP) | Juan Manuel Molina (ESP) |
| 2007 Osaka details | Jefferson Pérez (ECU) | Paquillo Fernández (ESP) | Hatem Ghoula (TUN) |
| 2009 Berlin details | Valeriy Borchin (RUS) | Wang Hao (CHN) | Eder Sánchez (MEX) |
| 2011 Daegu details | Luis Fernando López (COL) | Wang Zhen (CHN) | Kim Hyun-sub (KOR) |
| 2013 Moscow details | Aleksandr Ivanov (RUS) | Chen Ding (CHN) | Miguel Ángel López (ESP) |
| 2015 Beijing details | Miguel Ángel López (ESP) | Wang Zhen (CHN) | Benjamin Thorne (CAN) |
| 2017 London details | Éider Arévalo (COL) | Sergey Shirobokov (ANA) | Caio Bonfim (BRA) |
| 2019 Doha details | Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) | Vasiliy Mizinov (ANA) | Perseus Karlström (SWE) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Toshikazu Yamanishi (JPN) | Koki Ikeda (JPN) | Perseus Karlström (SWE) |
| 2023 Budapest details | Álvaro Martín (ESP) | Perseus Karlström (SWE) | Caio Bonfim (BRA) |

### Women

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1999 Seville details | Liu Hongyu (CHN) | Wang Yan (CHN) | Kerry Saxby-Junna (AUS) |
| 2001 Edmonton details | Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS) | Valentina Tsybulskaya (BLR) | Elisabetta Perrone (ITA) |
| 2003 Saint-Denis details | Yelena Nikolayeva (RUS) | Gillian O'Sullivan (IRL) | Valentina Tsybulskaya (BLR) |
| 2005 Helsinki details | Olimpiada Ivanova (RUS) | Ryta Turava (BLR) | Susana Feitor (POR) |
| 2007 Osaka details | Olga Kaniskina (RUS) | Tatyana Shemyakina (RUS) | María Vasco (ESP) |
| 2009 Berlin details | Olga Kaniskina (RUS) | Olive Loughnane (IRL) | Liu Hong (CHN) |
| 2011 Daegu details | Liu Hong (CHN) | Elisa Rigaudo (ITA) | Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) |
| 2013 Moscow details | Liu Hong (CHN) | Sun Huanhuan (CHN) | Elisa Rigaudo (ITA) |
| 2015 Beijing details | Liu Hong (CHN) | Lü Xiuzhi (CHN) | Lyudmyla Olyanovska (UKR) |
| 2017 London details | Yang Jiayu (CHN) | Lupita González (MEX) | Antonella Palmisano (ITA) |
| 2019 Doha details | Liu Hong (CHN) | Qieyang Shenjie (CHN) | Yang Liujing (CHN) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Kimberly García (PER) | Katarzyna Zdziebło (POL) | Qieyang Shijie (CHN) |
| 2023 Budapest details | María Pérez (ESP) | Jemima Montag (AUS) | Antonella Palmisano (ITA) |