Stanislav Emelyanov completed a walks double for Russia in the men’s 25-lap event with a Championship record of 39:35.01.

The 17-year-old pulled away from China’s Ding Chen with just over four laps to go and clocked the fourth fastest junior time in history.

For Emelyanov, it was his second global title after winning the World Youth title 12 months ago. He emulated fellow Russian Tatyana Mineeva, who won gold in the women’s equivalent two days earlier.

A group of nine was starting to move clear after the first kilometre, which was passed in 4:02. After a couple more laps, Emelyanov moved to the front and the group was whittled down to six.

Just before the 2km mark, which was reached with a 3:53 split, he and Chen started separating themselves from the rest. The quickest split of the race of 3:48 followed and the Russian did most of the front running as they walked to a 3:57 kilometre. Chen then took over and halfway was reached in 19:35.34.

It was at about this time that Emelyanov moved menacingly onto the shoulder of Chen for a while and, after about 7km, following splits of 3:59 and 4:01, the two then started to exchange the lead fairly regularly.

But on the 21st lap, with the eighth kilometre completed in 3:58, Emelyanov made his decisive move. It was more about Chen slowing down than acdevastating turn of pace from Emelyanov as the last kilometre was the slowest of the race at 4:03.

The time was the quickest by a junior since 2005, though it was 50 seconds outside the World Junior record set in 2000, and it took more than two minutes from his PB.

“I did not expect to walk such a fast time,” said the winner, who added that triple Olympic walks champion Robert Korzeniowski was his favourite athlete. “I always watched his races on TV and I hope to meet him here because I would love to have his autograph.”

Chen, who does not turn 16 until next month and was second in the 10km at the IAAF Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia, earlier this year, set an Asian junior record of 39:47.20.

Spain’s Lluis Torla was timed at a PB 40:29.57 for bronze as there were personal bests for four of the next five athletes and 19 of the 35 starters.
 
Paul Halford for the IAAF