We were in the mid-nineties when a famous international statistic on race walking, unfortunately passed away, used to say that "while the athletic power of a Country is measured by its 4x400 relay, the same power in race walking is measured on the number of athletes present in the first 100 of the world lists”.
The reader may or may not agree with this statement that was made by Palle Lassen, for many years Chairman of the IAAF Walking Committee from 1972 to 1990, but in any case we have spent a bit of our time to this exercise, which now offer to the reader.
In our humble opinion, with some small doubt in some small situations, the lists, both globally both at Area level, reflect the forces involved.
Here is short Area level analysis, , similar to what we did last year.
Europe
Twenty-three are Countries (they were 23 in 2014: and 24 in 2015) that have some of the athletes present in the first 100 of the world lists with a total of 317 athletes (in 2014: 352 and in 2015: 310).
Despite the absence imposed by the IAAF in international competitions Russia remains the leader, with over 75 athletes (there were 89 in 2015).
In 2016 Serbia exit out of the rankings: no athlete in the top 100 world athletes between the category Senior, U23 and U20 both male and female.
The results of 2014, put in second place at the European level with surprise Italy with 29 athletes, in front of Spain (28) and Ukraine (22).
Follow the other Countries such as the following table.
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Russia | 3 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 36 | 21 | 18 | 39 | 75 | Europe |
| Italy | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 39 | Europe |
| Spain | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 29 | Europe |
| Poland | 4 | 5 | 5 | | 2 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 23 | Europe |
| Ukraine | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 | Europe |
| Germany | 4 | | 3 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16 | Europe |
| France | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 15 | Europe |
| Hungary | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | Europe |
| Slovakia | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | | 1 | 9 | Europe |
| Belarus | 2 | 1 | 1 | | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | Europe |
| Lithuania | 1 | 4 | | 1 | 2 | 8 | | | 0 | 8 | Europe |
| Portugal | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | | 1 | 1 | 8 | Europe |
| Greece | 1 | 2 | 1 | | | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | Europe |
| Finland | 1 | | 3 | | 1 | 5 | | 2 | 2 | 7 | Europe |
| Great Britain | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 4 | 3 | | 3 | 7 | Europe |
| Romania | | 1 | 1 | | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | Europe |
| Turkey | 1 | | | 1 | | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | Europe |
| Ireland | 2 | | 3 | | | 5 | | | 0 | 5 | Europe |
| Czech Rep. | | 1 | 1 | | 2 | 4 | 1 | | 1 | 5 | Europe |
| Sweden | 2 | | 1 | | | 3 | | | 0 | 3 | Europe |
| Norway | | | 1 | 1 | | 2 | | | 0 | 2 | Europe |
| Switzerland | | 1 | 1 | | | 2 | | | 0 | 2 | Europe |
| Latvia | | | | | | 0 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | Europe |
| Serbia | | | | | | 0 | | | 0 | 0 | Europe |
| Sub Total | 37 | 52 | 49 | 28 | 47 | 213 | 51 | 53 | 104 | 317 | Europe |
Asia
Five Countries are represented (they were 6 in 2014 and 5 in 2015) with a total of 191 athletes (in 2014: 235 and in 2015: 271).
Again it is undoubted leadership of China with 85 athletes (they were 179 in 2015).
In second place is Japan an in third place India.
The decrease of the numerical presence of athletes in Asia is mainly due to China.
Usually in China U20 competitions (men and women) are taking place on the road, while in 2015 were held the First edition of Chinese Youth Games in Fuzhou which provided the distance on track (Youth Games are planned every four years).
The standard we follow is the choice of the performance obtained on 10000m track walk, knowing that doing so we numerically excluded the bulk of China's athletes. Moreover in the course of 2016 also the second most important race of the year (IAAF World Race Walk team Championships, Rome), which took place on the road, was excluded.
Follow, as per following table, Korea, Kazakhstan and China Taipei.
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| China | 9 | 12 | 15 | 22 | 20 | 78 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 85 | Asia |
| Japan | 11 | 7 | 8 | 25 | 14 | 65 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 78 | Asia |
| India | 6 | | | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 17 | Asia |
| Korea | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 2 | | 2 | 10 | Asia |
| Kazakistan | 1 | | | | 2 | 3 | | 1 | 1 | 4 | Asia |
| China Taipei | | | | | | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | Asia |
| Sub total | 28 | 21 | 25 | 49 | 40 | 163 | 18 | 14 | 32 | 195 | Asia |
Africa
There are six countries represented (they were 4 in 2014 and 3 in 2015) for a total 22 athletes (in 2014: 6 and also in 2015).
Last year we said that technical level of African race walk was yet to be discovered.
2016 was the year in which we made this discovery.
If in 2015 an athlete of Ethiopia had won bronze at the U18 World Championships in Cali, Colombia the 2016 saw a repeat of this success in U20 category with the victory of a bronze medal, by another athlete Aramaic, in Bydgoszcz in U20 World Championships.
Two medals in the course of two years (and a fourth place in the U20 men) can not be the result of a case.
If we add to them the entry in the ranking of three new Countries (Algeria with 7 athletes, Tunisia 3 with athletes and Egypt with 2 athletes) the picture is easily done: Africa is coming on in leaps and bounds.
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Algeria | | | | 1 | | 1 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 7 | Africa |
| Ethiopia | | 1 | | | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | Africa |
| South Africa | 2 | | 1 | | | 3 | | | 0 | 3 | Africa |
| Tunisia | 1 | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Africa |
| Egypt | | | | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 2 | Africa |
| Kenia | 1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | 1 | Africa |
| Sub total | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 22 | Africa
|
Oceania
Two are the Countries represented for a total of 24 athletes (they were 19 in 2014 and 17 in 2015).
There is no doubt on the leadership of Australia which includes 21 of the 24 athletes of the Area.
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Australia | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21 | Oceania |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3 | | | 0 | 3 | Oceania |
| Sub Total | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 24 | Oceania |
NACAC (North America, Central America and Caribbean)
Seven Countries are represented (the were 4 in 2014 and 5 in 2015) for a total of 65 athletes (they were 39 in 2014 and 44 in 2015).
Undisputed leader is Mexico, for its history, for his results and for the number of athletes entered in all categories, with a total of 43 athletes.
In second place with Guatemala 9 athletes and then for the third place the United States precede in numerical terms Canada.
But in terms of results only, Mexico and Canada are the undisputed leaders in this Area.
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| Mexico | 12 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 43 | NACAC |
| Guatemala | | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | NACAC |
| USA | | 2 | 1 | | | 3 | | 3 | 3 | 6 | NACAC |
| Canada | 1 | | 2 | | | 3 | | | 0 | 3 | NACAC |
| El Salvador | | | 1 | | 1 | 2 | | | 0 | 2 | NACAC |
| Portorico | | | | | | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | NACAC |
| Nicaragua | | | | | | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | NACAC |
| Sub total | 13 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 43 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 65 | NACAC |
South America (Consudatle)
Seven Countries are represented (they were 6 in 2014 and 7 in 2015) for a total of 74 athletes (there were 43 in 2014 and 50 in 2015).
The leadership since 2014 up to Colombia with 22 athletes.
Followed by Ecuador (15 athletes) and Brazil (12 athletes).
| Country | 20Km M | 20Km W | 50Km M | 20Km M-U23 | 20Km W-U23 | Total Senior | 10000m M U20 | 10000m W U20 | Total U20 | Total | Area |
| Colombia | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | | 16 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 22 | Counsudatle |
| Ecuador | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 15 | Counsudatle |
| Brazil | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | Counsudatle |
| Peru | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | Counsudatle |
| Bolivia | | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | Counsudatle |
| Chile | 1 | | 1 | | | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Counsudatle |
| Venezuela | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | 3 | | | 0 | 3 | Counsudatle |
| Sub Total | 14 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 50 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 74 | Counsudatle |
Download full list of the year 2016 (by Area and World) from the section Statistics or directly from this link: click here
To facilitate comparison to our readers we publish below:
Our news of Dec. 8, 2015 with the same analysis for the year 2015: click here
Download full list of the year 2015 (by Area and World) from the section Statistics or directly from this link: click here