Women's 50 km race added to London 2017

CAIRO - 24 July 2017: The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) announced on Sunday that women will compete in the 50 km race for the first time at 2017 World Athletic Championships in London.

“ IAAF Council's decision to create a new 50km race walk competition for women with separate results and prize money at the world championships in London follows the 2016 IAAF Race Walking Team Championships in Rome, where one female athlete from the USA joined her four male team mates" IAAF President, Sebastian Coe told IAAF website.

Women were only competing in the 50 km race that was part of an official IAAF organized event, but this is the first time the race will be added to World Athletic Championships.


Nothing the importance of gender equality, Coe talked about the reasons for adding the race, “There has been equal prize money for men and women at the IAAF World Championships since the introduction of financial rewards in the early 1990s and this decision brings gender equality in terms of competition opportunity too.”