Historic day in Birmingham for race walkers
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Spain’s María Pérez wins the women’s half marathon walk at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England, yesterday.
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Italy’s Sofia Fiorini wins the women’s marathon walk at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England, yesterday.
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP):
World records were set in the inaugural women’s half-marathon and marathon race walk events at the European Championships in Birmingham yesterday.
Spain’s María Pérez took gold in the half-marathon race walk, finishing in 1 hour, 30 minutes, 6 seconds. About two hours later, 21-year-old Sofia Fiorini of Italy won the marathon race walk title when she crossed the line in 3:15:11.
Both marks constitute new world records in disciplines that became official distances only in January, governing body World Athletics said.
“World Athletics set 1:30:30 as the performance standard required for the inaugural women’s half marathon world record and 3:17:00 for the women’s marathon world record,” the governing body explained.
“Pérez surpassed the former by 24 seconds and Fiorini, the latter by 1:49, making them the inaugural official world record-holders for the two distances.”
Both world records are subject to the usual ratification process.
The 30-year-old Pérez also holds the world record in the 35-kilometre race walk.