left to right - Chinese race walkers Wang Hao and Chu Yafei, who finished in the top 10 in Beijing (© Getty Images)
On the first day of the Chinese Race Walking Championships which are being held in Xintai, China, two athletes bettered the world junior mark* for the 10km.
Wang Hao, 19-year-old, who just lost out on a medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing when placing fourth in the 20km, five seconds behind Australian Jared Tallent’s bronze, won today’s 10km race in Xintai, Shandong Province, clocking 39:32.
The current world junior mark for 10km is the 39:57 set by Aleksey Bartsaykin of Russia when winning the junior race at the World Race Walking Cup in Cheboksary, Russia on 10 May 2008. However, this time is yet to be ratified* and there was no existing mark before that which met all the necessary world record criteria.
In second place in Xintai was Wang Kun, who was also below Bartsaykin’s clocking with a 39:35 performance.
Hao’s time, like Bartsaykin’s walk, must be ratified before it can be considered an official World record.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
U20 10km
1 Wang Hao (16.8.89) 39:32
2 Wang Kun (10.5.89) 39:35
