Maria Perez made more history on the penultimate day of action at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25. The Spaniard achieved her second world race walk title double, retaining her 20km crown to go with the 35km gold she claimed on the first day of competition.

The 29-year-old is now a four-time world champion and a two-time Olympic medallist, and she secured her latest title in 1:25:54 – the second-fastest time of her career.

She was chased over the finish line by Mexico’s Alegna Gonzalez in a North American record of 1:26:06. Nanako Fujii delighted the home fans by earning bronze in a Japanese record of 1:26:18 – her nation’s first medal in this event in World Championships history.

Full report

Result: 1 Maria Perez (ESP) 1:25:54 WL, 2 Alegna Gonzalez (MEX) 1:26:06 AR, 3 Nanako Fujii (JPN) 1:26:18 NR

 

Bonfim turns silver into gold

A week after claiming silver in the 35km event, Brazil’s Caio Bonfim went one better to win gold in the men’s 20km race walk.

Japan’s world record-holder Toshikazu Yamanishi had led for much of the second half, but he was hit with a two-minute time penalty, taking him out of contention. That allowed Bonfim to take up the lead with a few kilometres to go.

Bonfim, winner of two global silver medals and two bronze, held on to win his first major gold in 1:18:35. China’s Wang Zhaozhao took silver in 1:18:43 ahead of Spain’s Paul McGrath (1:18:45).

Full report

Result: 1 Caio Bonfim (BRA) 1:18:35, 2 Wang Zhaozhao (CHN) 1:18:43, 3 Paul McGrath (ESP) 1:18:45

 

Combined events state of play

US champion Kyle Garland leads the decathlon after the first three disciplines. A 10.51 run in the 100m, 7.92m leap in the long jump and 17.02m throw in the shot put has given him a 162-point lead over the rest of the field.

World indoor champion Sander Skotheim has also got off to a good start and he currently sits in fifth place overall, just 39 points shy of the pace he set when scoring his world-leading 8909.

Olympic silver medallist Leo Neugebauer and 2024 world indoor champion Simon Ehammer are currently in second and third respectively, just ahead of Puerto Rico’s Ayden Owens-Delerme.

The long jump has shaken up the standings in the heptathlon. Overnight leader Anna Hall still sits at the top of the leader board, but a 6.12m leap from the US athlete has allowed the rest of the field to make up some ground.

Taliyah Brooks topped the event with a 6.79m PB. Defending world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson was one of the better performers, leaping 6.42m, but Olympic champion Nafi Thiam struggled to find her rhythm and ended with a best of 5.99m.

Ireland’s Kate O’Connor also performed well, jumping 6.22m to remain in medal contention.

 

In the rounds…

All the big favourites advanced to the final in the women’s shot put, including two-time world champion Chase Jackson, Olympic champion Yemisi Ogunleye, European champion Jessica Schilder, two-time world indoor champion Sarah Mitton, 2021 Olympic champion Gong Lijiao and Olympic silver medallist Maddison Lee-Wesche.

There were few surprises in the qualifying round of the men’s discus, too. Defending champion Daniel Stahl, 2022 world champion Kristjan Ceh and world record-holder Mykolas Alekna will all clash in tomorrow’s final.