The 20,000 metres race walk is a racewalking event. The event is competed as a track race. Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it. 20,000 metres is 12.4274 miles.
History This distance is not commonly raced at high level international competitions but part of South American Championships in Athletics and individual national championships (f.e. Russia, India, Colombia, Venezuela). Top level senior athletics racewalking events typically feature 20 km road distance.
World records On May 7, 1994, Bernardo Segura of Mexico set a new 20,000 m race walk world record in Fana in a time of 1:17:25.6. The all-time women's 20,000 m race-walk record is held by Olimpiada Ivanova of Russia, at 1:26:53.2.
All-time top 25 (outdoor) Men Correct as of August 2025.
RankResultAthleteNationalityDatePlace11:17:25.6Bernardo Segura7 May 1994Fana21:18:35.2Stefan Johansson15 May 1992Fana31:18:37.9 Caio Bonfim31 July 2025São Paulo41:18.40.0Ernesto Canto5 May 1994Fana51:19:18.3Ronald Weigel26 May 1990Fana61:19:22.5Aleksey Pershin7 May 1988Fana71:19:24.1Walter Arena26 May 1990Fana81:19:42.0Yohann Diniz25 May 2014Bogny-sur-Meuse91:19:48.1Nathan Deakes4 September 2001Brisbane101:19:52.0Robert Korzeniowski4 September 2001Brisbane111:19:54.0Pavol Blazek26 May 1990Fana121:19:54.7 Matheus Correa31 July 2025São Paulo131:20:06.8Daniel Bautista17 October 1979Montréal141:20:11.72Li Gaobo2 November 2007Wuhan151:20:12.3Nick A'Hern8 May 1993Fana161:20:22.52Gurmeet Singh3 February 2012Bhubaneswar171:20:23.8Andrés Chocho5 June 2011Buenos Aires181:20:24.0 Max Goncalves dos Santos27 June 2024Bragança Paulista191:20:24.4Li Mingcai15 March 1992Jinan201:20:24.6Li Zewen24 October 1995Nanjing211:20:31.5Chen Shaoguo15 March 1992Jinan221:20:35.4Mao Xinyuan15 March 1992Jinan231:20:36.6Gustavo Restrepo5 June 2011Buenos Aires241:20:36.7Erling Andersen5 May 1984FanaErnesto Canto26 May 1990Fana
Notes Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:20:36.7: Caio Bonfim also walked 1:19:52.1 (2024), 1:20:13.68 (2021). Nick A'Hern also walked 1:20:18.5 (1990). Max Goncalves dos Santos also walked 1:20:35.1 (2025).
Women Correct as of August 2025.
RankResultAthleteNationalityDatePlace11:26:53.2Olimpiada Ivanova6 September 2001Brisbane21:27:49.3Yelena Nikolayeva6 September 2001Brisbane31:29:24.61Glenda Morejón29 May 2021Guayaquil41:29:32.4Song Hongjuan24 October 2003Changsha51:29:36.4Susana Feitor21 July 2001Lisboa61:30:48.3Rossella Giordano4 August 2000Almada71:30:51.97Erica de Sena29 May 2021Guayaquil81:30:52.0Karla Jaramillo25 May 2019Lima91:30:52.7 Viviane Lyra31 July 2025São Paulo101:31:02.25Sandra Arenas13 June 2015Lima111:31:06.6Jiang Jing24 October 2003Changsha121:31:16.18Liu Hong1 November 2007Wuhan131:31:18.79Song Xiaoling1 November 2007Wuhan141:31:19.2Maribel Goncalves31 July 2004Lisboa151:31:23.7Inês Henriques31 July 2004Lisboa161:31:43.5Marina Smyslova25 September 2004Izhevsk171:31:47.95Bo Yanmin1 November 2007Wuhan181:31:49.5Alena Zenkova25 September 2004Izhevsk191:31:52.30Wang Shanshan1 November 2007Wuhan201:31:53.8Mirna Ortíz8 August 2014Ciudad de Guatemala211:31:58.9Lyudmila Arkhipova25 September 2004Izhevsk221:32:09.4Ingrid Hernández5 June 2011Buenos Aires231:32:15.1Tatyana Sibileva25 September 2004Izhevsk241:32:17.6Milángela Rosales5 June 2011Buenos Aires251:32:19.71Hie Jingjing1 November 2007Wuhan
Notes Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 1:32:19.71: Sandra Arenas also walked 1:31:46.9 (2014). Marina Smyslova also walked 1:32:16.5 (2003).
All-time top performance (indoor) Men RankResultAthleteNationalityDatePlace11:20:40.0 Ronald Weigel27 January 1980Senftenberg
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References