World Athletics Championships 2023: Martin, Perez seal double glory for Spain in 35km race walks

Martin held off Ecuador’s Brian Pintado to win the men’s race in two hours, 24 minutes and 30 seconds, while Perez clocked a championship record time of 2:38:40, finishing more than two minutes ahead of defending champion Kimberly Garcia Leon.

Gold medallists Maria Perez and Alvaro Martin of Spain. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez completed Spain’s domination of the race walks at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday by adding gold in the 35 kilometres events to their victories in last weekend’s 20km races.

Martin held off Ecuador’s Brian Pintado to win the men’s race in two hours, 24 minutes and 30 seconds, while Perez clocked a championship record time of 2:38:40, finishing more than two minutes ahead of defending champion Kimberly Garcia Leon.

Peru’s Garcia Leon finished in 2:40:52 while Antigoni Drisbioti of Greece completed the podium with a season’s best 2:43:22.

After early leader Aurelien Quinion of France had dropped off the pace and was then disqualified, Martin shared the lead with Pintado and Japan’s Masatora Kawano entering the final 4km before making the break with less than 2km remaining.

He set a national record and crossed the line four seconds before Pintado, with Kawano posting a season’s best 2:25:12 to finish third. Defending champion Massimo Stano of Italy was seventh in 2:25:59.

“I am so tired,” Martin said. “I was fourth in the Olympic Games and it was very tough to get so close to an Olympic medal. It’s wonderful now to be a double world champion in Budapest. I see Maria is first too in the women’s race, so today is a great day for Spain.”