Maria Perez Defends 35km Walk Title at 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo

At the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Maria Isabel Perez of Spain successfully defended her title by winning the women's 35-kilometre race walk with a time of 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 0.1 seconds. Italy's Antonella Palmisano and Ecuador's Paula Milena Torres earned the silver and bronze medals respectively. In the men's 35 km race walk, Canada's Evan Dunfee and Japan's Masatora Kawano led the competition at the 32 km mark, with South Korea's Kim Mingyu also in close contention, while Indian competitor Ram Baboo was disqualified after entering the penalty zone. The event was challenged by unfavorable weather conditions, affecting athletes' performances. Meanwhile, long-distance running continues to draw interest for its health benefits, though it carries injury risks such as stress fractures, with experts recommending injury prevention strategies like cross-training, gradual mileage increase, and proper footwear. These developments highlight both the competitive excitement and the physical demands of race walking and long-distance running sports.