The Paris 2024 Olympics athletics schedule kicks off on Thursday with the 20 Kilometres Race Walk finals, featuring a star-studded lineup of global medalists. The men’s and women’s events will set the stage for the track and field competition, which begins the following day.
Fans can watch live streaming coverage of the events on Peacock TV, starting with the pre-event build at 1:00 a.m. ET. – Read more: Jamaican sprint star Shericka Jackson withdrew from Olympic 100m
The men’s 20km race walk final starts at 7:30 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. ET), with Italy’s Massimo Stano defending his Olympic title. He faces stiff competition from Spain’s Alvaro Martin, the reigning world champion, and Japan’s Koki Ikeda, who enters the race as the world leader with the third-fastest performance all-time, with 1:16:51.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom, fresh off his European Championships and World Race Walking Team Championships victories earlier this year, is also among the top contenders. The event will unfold on the Pont d’Alene, with the iconic Eiffel Tower providing a stunning backdrop.
Star-Studded Women’s Field
The women’s 20km race walk final follows at 9:20 a.m. local time (3:20 a.m. ET), showcasing an equally impressive field. Italy’s Antonella Palmisano returns to defend her Olympic crown, while Peru’s Kimberly Garcia aims to add Olympic gold to her two 2022 world titles.
Spain’s Maria Perez, a double world champion, is back from injury and she will look to improve on her fourth-place finish in Sapporo three years ago. The event also features China’s Liu Hong, the 2016 Olympic champion and four-time world gold medalist, who seeks to enhance her already impressive medal collection.
The race walk events introduce a new element to the Paris Olympics, with the debut of the mixed-team walking race later in the schedule. This innovative format, replacing the individual 50km event, will see teams of one male and one female athlete competing together over the marathon distance.
