The year 2020 was a bit like a doughnut: plenty at the edges, not a lot in the middle.

Nihill, a four-time Olympian and European champion in the 50km race walk, was 81.

Matej Toth became the first four-time winner of the 50km race walk at the Dudince Fifty, clocking a world-leading 3:41:15 on Saturday (24).

Don Thompson looked anything but an Olympic champion.

Matej Toth hopes his body can withstand one extra of year of training in his push to claim back-to-back Olympic 50km race walk titles in Tokyo next year.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020) today announced that Sapporo Odori Park in Hokkaido was approved by the IOC as the venue for the marathon and race walk events at the IOC Executive Board meeting held today in Lausanne, Switzerland. This followed confirmation from World Athletics.

Our end-of-year reviews continue with a recap of 2019’s best race walking action.

Masatora Kawano booked his place on Japan’s 2020 Olympic team by winning the 50km race walk in Takahata in a national record of 3:36:45 on Sunday (27).

“You can do this. You know this. You got this.” When the fatigue was reaching a crescendo, when Evan Dunfee’s legs and arms and lungs and heart were held ransom by the slow, torturous pain of the 50km race walk, this was his negotiation strategy. This was his way out.

For an event that has a reputation for being so unpredictable – especially when combined with challenging conditions – the women’s 50km race walk went largely to the formbook.

History was made in more ways than one in the men’s 50km race walk at the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 as Saturday (28) merged into Sunday (29).

His performance at the 2016 Olympic Games may be remembered for all the wrong reasons, but since then Yohann Diniz has barely put a foot wrong.