Offbeat | Japan’s Suzuki sets race walk world record on home soil

Yusuke Suzuki of Japan poses next to his record after breaking the 20-kilometer race walk world record

Yusuke Suzuki of Japan poses next to his record after breaking the 20-kilometer race walk world record

Yusuke Suzuki of Japan broke the 20-kilometer race walk world record yesterday at the Asian Race Walking Championships. Suzuki won the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in his home town with a time of 1 hour, 16 minutes, 36 seconds, a mark 26 seconds faster than that set by Yohann Diniz of France just a week ago.
Suzuki covered eight kilometers in 30:25 and made the halfway mark in a national 10 kilometer record of 38:05, giving a clear indication he was on course for a fast time. He finished comfortably ahead of his rivals, breaking Diniz’s mark of 1:17:02 set at the French Race Walking Championships in Arles, France, on March 8. This is Suzuki’s third Asian title. He also won in 2010 and 2013.

Categories Asia-Pacific