By Amy Tennery
EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – Peruvian Kimberly Garcia Leon won the first gold medal of the World Championships on Friday in the 20 kilometres race walk in a time of 1:26:58, with Poland’s Katarzyna Zdzieblo claiming silver and China’s Qieyang Shijie taking bronze.
Qieyang and Garcia Leon shared a 20-second lead over the rest of the pack at the halfway mark and battled shoulder-to-shoulder through the next five kilometres under sunny, hot conditions.
But with three kilometres left to go, 28-year-old Garcia Leon pulled away from the 2012 Olympic champion, who took silver three years ago, and broke the tape before embracing a member of her team.
Four-time champion Liu Hong, who led a Chinese podium sweep three years ago in Doha and collected bronze in the 2020 Olympics last year, came up short, finishing fifth in 1:29:00.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Eugene, Oregon; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
