Japan’s Toshikazu Yamaneshi retained his 20K World Walk title by winning the 18th World Athletics Championships in Eugene, USA.

Yamanishi finished the race with a time of one hour 19 minutes and 7 seconds, recording his best time this year, scoring a double with fellow countryman Koki Ikeda who won silver (1.19:14 hours).

This is the second gold medal in the championship after Peruvian Kimberly Garcia Leon’s first in the same race two hours ago.

Bronze went to Sweden’s Perisus Carlström (1.19:18 hours), which he won at the last round in Doha in 2019. Karlstrom snatched third place after strong competition from Kenyan Samuel Kiriri Gatemba (1.19:25 hours).

Yamanishi expressed his joy at winning in hot and sunny weather with little shading, noting that it required great skill.

He added that the race was very difficult and the weather was very hot, hotter than in Doha when the race was in the middle of the night, but the humidity was low so it was easier.