| Lashmanova breaks world record, Kirdyapkin wins |
LONDON Russia’s Yelena Lashmanova won the women’s 20km walk Olympic title on Saturday in a new world record of 1hr 25min 02sec.
The 20-year-old’s late surge saw her pass longtime leader and defending champion Olga Kaniskina of Russia (1hr 25min 09sec) while China’s Qieyang Shenjie set an Asian record in taking bronze (1hr 25min 16sec).
It was the first time Russia have taken gold and silver in the event and third time in six editions they have won the title.
In the men’s 50km race walk, Russia’s Sergey Kirdyapkin won gold in an Olympic record time of three hours 35 minutes 59 seconds.
The 32-year-old double world champion shaved more than a second off Alex Schwazer’s record of 3:37:09 to finish 54 seconds ahead of Australia’s Jared Tallent, whose time was also inside the previous Olympic record and a personal best.
China’s Si Tianfeng won bronze in a personal best of 3:37:16, adding to Chen Ding’s 20km gold and Wang Zhen’s bronze a week ago - China’s first men’s race walk medals.
Lashmanova’s victory had looked a longshot as Kaniskina dominated until she tired dreadfully on the last two laps and had nothing left as the teenager swept past her with just 50 metres to the line to go.
Kaniskina, 27, burst into floods of tears after a consoling hug from the winner.
Kaniskina had broken away in the early stages accompanied solely by China’s two-time world medallist Liu Hong. However, Liu was dropped by Kaniskina and was sandwiched in between her and a group of five including the other two Russians and Guatemalan Mirna Ortiz.
Liu’s desperation to rejoin Kaniskina brought her a warning while the Russian duet of Anisya Kirdyapkina, whose husband Sergy won the men’s 50km walk title earlier on Saturday, and Lashmanova controlled the group behind.
Up front the order didn’t change much with Kaniskina continuing to dominate, Liu in pursuit and the chasing group was down to four, the two Russians and Liu’s team-mates 18-year-old Lu Xiuzhi and Qieyang.
Entering the final quarter of the race Kaniskina was over 20sec clear of Liu, who looked safe for silver as the quartet behind were another 20sec adrift.
However, the Russian duo moved up a gear from that point and ate into Liu’s advantage passing her as the race entered the final stages, though, she stayed in the group along with Qieyang.
Agencies
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