Wang Kaihua of China cools down with water during the men's 20km race walk at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Asian Games champion Wang Kaihua outraced Olympic medalists Chen Ding and Cai Zelin to win the men's 20-kilometer event in 1:20:49 at the 2020 Chinese National Race Walk Championships.
BEIJING, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Asian Games champion Wang Kaihua outraced Olympic medalists Chen Ding and Cai Zelin to win the men's 20-kilometer event at the 2020 Chinese National Race Walk Championships in Taian on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Wang from Guangdong took the pole position in a three-man leading group in the early stages of the race and soon broke clear to seize a comfortable sole lead. The 2018 Asian Games champion never looked back until breaking the tape in style with a clocking of one hour, 20 minutes and 49 seconds.
Wang Kaihua of China drinks water during the men's 20km race walk at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Oct. 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
The battle for the second place remained tight until the final kilometers, as Rio Olympic Games runner-up Cai, representing Team Yunnan, held off a strong challenge from London Olympic champion Chen to finish second in 1:22:03. The 28-year-old Chen of Guangdong trailed nine seconds further behind to take the third place.
The two-day competition will see the country's most prestigious female race walkers, including world record holder Liu Hong and world champion Yang Jiayu, vying for the women's 20km title on Sunday. ■
