Garcia Leon completes historic double with women’s 35km race walk gold – World Athletics Championships 2022

EUGENE, Oregon (July 22) — Peru’s Kimberly Garcia Leon copped her second gold medal at the World Athletics Championships 2022 on Day 8 here in Eugene, Oregon after she won the women’s 35km race walk gold medal at 2:39:16 on Friday (22).

Garcia Leon, who also captured the 20km race walk title earlier at the championships, became the inaugural champion of the event at the world championships after dominating the new distance and winning by a gap of 47 seconds.

The 35km race walk discipline replaces the old 50km at the world championships, which is now done away with. Read more: Kimberly Garcia Leon wins first gold at World Athletics Championships 2022 in 20km race walk

“I have always dreamed of making history in a sport I am so passionate about, that I have been practicing since I was five,” said Garcia Leon. “My plan was to set a steady pace until 20km and gradually up the pace from there.

“That’s what I did today. I have been training with coach Andres Choco and the results have been great so far. After my 20km win, I tried to stay well hydrated, eat well to get ready for the 35km. I trained to finish strong in the last 5km.

“I can’t wait to celebrate with my family when I arrive home and then reset to start preparing for the World Championships and the Pan American Games next year. My coach Andres Chocho is a seasoned athlete. He knows what he needs to do on Sunday.”

Katarzyna Zdzieblo set off to a fast start but Garcia Leon took over the contest after 20km to break away completely from her rival and seal the gold medal and smashed her Peru national record.

The three 20km race walk finishers repeat the same order in the 35km race

Zdzieblo of Poland went on to replicate her 20km silver medal achievement –finishing runner-up again to Garcia Leon in a time of 2:40:03 to set a new personal best.

China’s Qieyang Shijie won her second bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships 2022 when she crossed the finish line at 2:40:37 to set a new Asian record.

Also in record-breaking form was the fourth place finisher Antigoni Ntrismpioti, who set a Greek national record of 2:41:58, while Spain’s Raquel Gonzalez crossed fifth in a personal best of 2:42.27 and her compatriot Laura Garcia-Caro got sixth in 2:42:45 –setting a personal best as well.

Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for World Athletics

35 KILOMETRES RACE WALK WOMEN | 22 JUL 2022