Spanish athlete María Pérez has successfully defended her title as world champion in the 20-kilometre race walk, following her victory a week earlier in the 35-kilometre event. She secured the gold medal this Saturday at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, launching a solo attack in the final stretch. Meanwhile, Paul McGrath claimed the bronze medal in the men’s event.
A Legendary Performance
The 29-year-old from Granada has further solidified her legacy in Spanish athletics by winning her fourth world championship gold, following the two she secured in Budapest 2023. After dominating the 35-kilometre race last Saturday, Pérez once again stood out by running the last four kilometres alone.
Also a European champion in 2018 and Olympic mixed relay champion, as well as a silver medallist in the 20 kilometres at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Pérez showcased her exceptional form, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Mexico’s Alegna González and 24 seconds ahead of Japan’s Nanako Fujii, who placed second and third respectively on the Tokyo podium.
Race Dynamics
The early hours in the Japanese capital held promise for Spanish interests, and María Pérez positioned herself among the frontrunners from the outset. The ‘hostilities’ commenced with China’s Jiayu Yang, the reigning Olympic champion who missed last week’s event, thus presenting a significant threat.
However, it was Peruvian athlete Kimberly García León who maintained an intense pace throughout much of the 18 laps around the track. Consequently, the leading group quickly became exclusive, with around twenty competitors, including fellow Spaniards Antía Chamosa and Paula Juárez.
After five kilometres, the contest for medals was down to ten athletes, with María Pérez emerging in the lead, watching her friend and rival, Italian Antonella Palmisano, drop back, suffering from the effects of her second-place finish in the 35-kilometre race.
Midway through the race, García León again increased the pace, narrowing the field to seven athletes, amidst uncertainty regarding the Japanese Fujii and her struggle to keep up. Ecuador’s Paula Torres attempted to push ahead, but after an hour of racing, Mexican González surged forth, ready to challenge alongside Pérez.
Climax of the Event
With less than four kilometres to the finish at the Olympic Stadium, María Pérez increased her lead, leaving the American behind and managing her cautions without receiving a red card. With nearly a ten-second cushion, the Andalusian completed her feat, securing her fourth world gold with a time of 1:25:54, marking her second-best performance.
Pérez, who overcame a difficult 2022 with disqualifications in major competitions, has joined an elite club of athletics stars capable of defending two world golds in different events. Meanwhile, Chamosa finished seventh with a personal best of 1:27:55, while Juárez came in 22nd with a time of 1:31:50.
Men’s Race Walk Final
Next, the men’s 20-kilometre race walk final featured European silver medallist Paul McGrath, double European medallist Diego García, and Spanish champion Álvaro López. McGrath, making his World Championships debut, and García, in his sixth consecutive appearance, started strong, covering the first five kilometres in 20:17.
They maintained positions among the top ten until McGrath made a decisive move at the 9-kilometre mark, reaching halfway in 40:04, with García two seconds behind in eighth. Only Japanese athlete Toshikazu Yamanishi, a world record holder and two-time champion, and Chinese competitor Zhen Wang responded to McGrath’s pace, while Brazilian Caio Bonfim, an Olympic and world silver medallist, lurked behind.
Indeed, the South American, who was just three seconds off the leading trio by the 13-kilometre mark, managed his efforts to catch the leaders, still with McGrath in front. Yamanishi fell behind, finishing third, and Wang attempted to stay close to McGrath, who was warned with two red cards but gave it his all in the final stretch.
In a dramatic conclusion, Bonfim found the strength to surpass both, taking the lead in the final kilometre, while Wang overtook McGrath to move into second place. McGrath withstood French athlete Aurélien Quinion’s late challenge, crossing the finish line in 1:18:45, just two seconds behind Wang and ten seconds from Bonfim, the new world champion in the distance after his silver medal in the 35 kilometres last Saturday.
Meanwhile, Diego García achieved a finalist position by finishing eighth with a time of 1:20:05, marking his best result in a World Championship, while Álvaro López came in 21st with 1:21:28. Thus, Spain has now secured three medals in Tokyo, all in race walking, with María Pérez’s two golds and McGrath’s bronze.
Other Competitions
In other news, Diego Casas was eliminated from the discus event and did not advance to the final. A mark of 66.50 metres or a position among the top 12 throws was required for Sunday’s medal contention. The Spaniard managed a first attempt of 60.81 metres, improved to 61.92 in the second, and closed with 62.54 metres, which was insufficient to continue in his first World Championships.
Additionally, the fifth event of the women’s heptathlon, the long jump, took place featuring María Vicente, who arrived ranked twelfth overall. In her first jump, she landed exactly six metres, followed by a second jump of 6.10 metres, concluding with a foul attempt. She accumulated 880 points, dropping to thirteenth place with a total of 4,584 points.
Agencies EP
