There seems to be no peace for the choice of distances in walking events.

In recent years, the historic 50 km race walk has been eliminated – last held in Tokyo 2020 – replaced by the 35 km, and a mixed relay has been pulled out of the hat that saw the light at the recent Paris Games, where María Pérez and Álvaro Martín won gold.

The Spanish sports newspaper Marca, always very well informed on these topics, reports that during the 236th meeting of the World Athletics Council, held on 3 and 4 December in Monaco, a new change in the distances of the walk was announced that will affect both events.

The historic 20 km walk, a race in which Álvaro Martín and María Pérez became world champions last year in Budapest, disappears to make way for a half marathon (21.0975 km).

More important seems the other decision, which concerns the 35 km walk, a race that has not become Olympic but was official both at the world championships in Eugene 2022 and Budapest 2023. In its case, it will be replaced by a marathon (42.195 km), which is halfway between the historic 50 and the new 35.

These changes will come into force from 1 January 2026, so both 20 and 35 will still be the official distances at the World Championships in Tokyo 2025.