Tatyana Kalmykova of Russia wins the 5000m Race Walk final (© Getty Images)
Russia’s Tatyana Kalmykova became the first ever athlete to defend her World Youth title as she won the Girls’ 5000m Race Walk in a new World Youth best time of 20:28.05. Kalmykova's winning time is not only World Youth but also World Junior best, both previous marks belonging to 1995 10km Race Walk World champion Irina Stankina also of Russia.
Kalmykova who was in the lead from gun to tape smashed her own Championship record of 22:14.47 set in the heat of Marrakech two years ago.
Irina Yumanova made it a double celebration for Russia as she set a new personal best time of 21:21.14 to take silver well clear of Greece’s Panayiota Tsinopoulou whose personal best 22:49.15 was worth a bronze medal tonight.
Kalmykova and Yumanova walked shoulder to shoulder until the eventual champion decided to toughen the pace with six and a half laps to go. Two laps later and she was more than one hundredth metres clear of her team-mate her leading increasing with every stride.
China’s Tongjie Zhou who lied in third position behind the Russian pair was showed the red disqualification card with four laps to go. It was the only red card in a race which included no fewer than seventeen personal bests.
Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF
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