Athletics: China stride to triple gold triumph in race walks

WUHAN (CHN) - China won all three race walking events in athletics amid a cold morning drizzle at Five Rings Sports Center on Friday.

XU Hao (CHN) took gold in the men's 20km race walk, crossing the finish line on the wet tarmac at the north gate of Matoutan Park just outside the stadium. Ukraine's Viktor SHUMIK and Slovakia's Miroslav URADNIK followed him home in second and third.

“The weather is cool and comfortable, better than racing in hot weather. The bends were a little slippery but I could manage that,” XU said.

In the women's 20km race walk, YANG Jiayu and YIN Hang handed China gold and silver with Teresa ZUREK (GER) bagging bronze and Nadzeya DARAZHUK (BLR) placing last in a field of four.

“I think I just ran OK. Generally the competition is not fierce so I could easily follow my own pace," YANG said.

China's WANG Qin led the other two competitors home in the men's 50km race walk, clocking 3 hours and 51.56 minutes. Dzmitry DZIUBIN (BLR) was second and Sergii BUDZA (UKR) took the bronze.

ZHANG Li put the cherry on China's cake with a fourth gold medal of the day, this time inside the stadium when she triumphed in women's javelin with a Games record throw of 63.06 metres.

"The championship is more important then breaking the record," she said.

The day's other three titles went to Belarus, Kenya and Kazakhstan. For a full schedule and results, click here.

Another 10 medal events are yet to be contested over the final weekend.

(Source: Xinhua Info)