Sports · Running & Athletics · 1 hr ago
Kawano and Henderson set marathon race walk world records
Japan’s Masatora Kawano set the men’s marathon race walk world record at the All Japan Race Walking meeting in Takahata on Sunday.
He finished in 2 hours, 55 minutes and 14 seconds, beating the 2:56:30 standard set for recognition of the first record.
Australia’s Rebecca Henderson set a women’s world record at the same meet, improving on the previous mark of 3:15:11.
Marathon race walking became an official distance on January 1, 2026, alongside the half marathon.
The new marathon distance is replacing the 35-kilometre race walk, according to the Japanese report.
Kawano’s performance was also part of a meet that serves as a selection event for next year’s World Championships in Beijing.
The record was reported as provisional.
Masatora Kawano set the inaugural men’s world marathon race walk record with a time of 2:55:14.
He won the race at the All Japan Race Walking meeting in Takahata, Japan, on October 25, 2026.
His time beat the 2:56:30 performance standard set by World Athletics for recognition of the inaugural record.
The meeting also served as a selection event for the world championships scheduled to be held in Beijing next September.
- Who
- Masatora Kawano of Asahi Kasei.
- What
- He won the men’s marathon race walk and set the inaugural world record with a time of 2:55:14.
- When
- October 25, 2026.
- Where
- Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.
- Why
- His time was faster than World Athletics’ 2:56:30 performance standard for recognition of the inaugural record.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
It was decided that the marathon race walk would replace the 35-kilometre race walk.
The marathon became an official race walk distance, and World Athletics’ performance standard for the inaugural men’s record took effect.
Kawano won the men’s race in Takahata in 2:55:14, faster than the performance standard.
- Athlete
- Masatora Kawano
- Record time
- 2:55:14
- Performance standard
- 2:56:30
- Race
- Men’s marathon race walk
- Venue
- Takahata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
- Date
- October 25, 2026