The World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships head to Brasília on April 12 for a historic 31st edition that marks several firsts for the discipline. It will be the first time the event has been staged in South America and Brazil's first global athletics competition since the 2016 Rio Olympics. More significantly, it introduces the new standard race walking distances — the half marathon and the full marathon — replacing the traditional 20km and 50km formats.
The distance changes reflect World Athletics' effort to modernise race walking and align it more closely with road running. The half marathon race walk and marathon race walk will now serve as the standard championship distances going forward, with the junior U20 events contested over 10km. The shift has been broadly welcomed by the race walking community as a way to increase the sport's visibility and accessibility.
The team format adds a tactical dimension that makes the championships distinct from individual race walking events. Nations must balance having their top performers push for individual medals while also positioning enough athletes to score well in the team standings. Traditional powerhouses China, Spain, and Ecuador are expected to contend, while the host nation Brazil — buoyed by a passionate home crowd in the capital — could spring a surprise.
Brasília's altitude of around 1,100 metres and April temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius will provide a genuine test of fitness and preparation. The event serves as an important benchmark ahead of the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest later this year, making it essential viewing for anyone tracking the sport's Olympic cycle progression.