About Speed and Race Walking

All about the sport of competitive speed walking. 

What is it? 

Speed walking is walking but at a faster pace, it is different from running because one foot must stay in contact with the ground at all times. Speed walking is also known as race walking or power walking in the Olympics. Race walking is a long-distance sport. You usually keep a pace of 4.5 to 5.5 miles per hour. When competing in race walking the races are usually 10km to 20km long, however, they are even longer in some cases. 

The benefits of race walking

Race walking is a fantastic upper body workout. This is because when correctly speed walking you are pumping your arms intensely. Giving you a great workout, you can strengthen your neck muscles, biceps, triceps, deltoids, and back muscles! In speed walking, you use a lot of hip movement.Speed walking is a great and easy way to burn calories fast.If done often, speed walking can also increase your endurance.

The fastest race walker

The fastest race walker is a thirty year old British Olympian by the name of Tom Bosworth. Tom Bosworth holds the world record for the fastest speed walking mile, of five minutes and thirty one seconds. Tom also is currently in the number one spot for the fastest 20km, 5km, 10km, and 3km race. Tom Bosworth currently has no children but is married to his boyfriend Harry Dineley. Tom Bosworth proposed to Harry Dineley at the Rio de Janeiro games in 2016.

History of speed walking 

In 1904 race walking became a sport. In 1904 was when it first showed up in the Olympics. There were 10 events for the women racers and the male racers. Speed walking originated from England in the 19th century.

Fun facts about race walking

• The rules state that one of your legs must be straight at all times while racing.
• In the 1904 Olympics, the men competed in 50km races and 20km while the women only competed in the 20km races.
• Brazil doesn’t have any Olympic medals in competitive speed walking.
• Race walking is a very hard sport to monitor for judges. Because of this, the judges receive a lot of complaints during the races.
• Speed walking is most common in Rio which is where the first Olympic speed racing games were held.
• Race walking is made fun often because of how funny it looks when you are speed walking.