Italy's Massimo Stano Sets 35K Race Walk World Record in Podebrady

Massimo Stano of Italy set a new world record in the men's 35-kilometer race walk at the European Race Walking Team Championships in Podebrady, Czech Republic, clocking an impressive 2:20:43 and breaking the previous record by 57 seconds. The previous record was held by Canada’s Evan Dunfee, who set a time of 2:21:40 just two months earlier. Stano, the 2021 Olympic champion in the 20km walk and 2022 world champion in the 35km distance, executed a strategic race with a decisive move around 23-24 kilometers, maintaining sub-four-minute kilometers in the final stretch. His performance also helped secure the team title for Italy, finishing ahead of Spain and Germany. The championships featured strong performances overall, including national records by Germany’s Christopher Linke and Spain’s Miguel Ángel López, and a notable victory by Spain’s Maria Perez in the women's 35km race walk. Stano’s record-breaking feat marks a significant advancement in the race walking discipline, following a period of rapid improvements in the 35km event.