We do not want to rethink the events that marked the eve of this new race.
In our section that reports activity of many other countries, our readers can find through Heel and Toe (AUS) all the details they may be interested in.
Gender parity, entry standard from 4:06:00 to 4:30:00, rights acquired by "Area Champions" now leave room for numbers and names.
Here are the first historic champions of a World Championships Individual that will have to start their last lap of their effort (48km) in a time less than 4:17:00.
| NAME | COUNTRY | DATE of BIRTH | PERSONAL BEST | SEASON BEST |
| | | | | |
| Nair DA ROSA | BRA | 22 Mar 80 | 4:39:28 | 4:39:28 |
| Shuqing YANG | CHN | 30 Aug 96 | 4:27:24 | 4:27:24 |
| Hang YIN | CHN | 7 Feb 97 | 4:22:22 | 4:22:22 |
| Inês HENRIQUES | POR | 1 May 80 | 4:08:26 | 4:08:26 |
| Kathleen BURNETT | USA | 7 Oct 88 | 4:26:37 | 4:26:37 |
| Erin TALCOTT | USA | 21 May 78 | 4:29:33 | 4:29:33 |
| Susan RANDALL | USA | 6 Sep 74 | 4:54:12 | 4:54:12 |
The past history of the women's race walk tells us that ten years ago (October 21, 2007) in Scanzorosciate, Italy Monica Svensson (SWE) had walked 50km in 4:10:59 and three years earlier was the turn of the beautiful Elena Ginko (BLR) in 4:12:16.
Below the all time list
| RESULT | NAME | VENUE | DATE |
| | | | |
| 4:08:26 | Inês HENRIQUES (POR) | Porto de Mós | 15 Jan 17 |
| 4:10:59 | Monica SVENSSON (SWE) | Scanzorosciate | 21 Oct 07 |
| 4:12:16 | Elena GINKO (BLR) | Scanzorosciate | 17 Oct 04 |
| 4:16:27 | Jolanta DUKURE (LAT) | Paralepa | 9 Sep 06 |
| 4:22:22 | Hang YIN (CHN) | Huangshan | 5 Mar 17 |
| 4:25:22 | Brigita VIRBALYTÉ-DIMSIENÉ (LTU) | Villa di Serio | 17 Oct 10 |
| 4:26:37 | Kathleen BURNETT (USA) | Santee, CA | 28 Jan 17 |
| 4:27:24 | Shuqing YANG (CHN) | Huangshan | 5 Mar 17 |
| 4:28:13 | Evaggelía XINOÚ (GRE) | Scanzorosciate | 17 Oct 04 |
| 4:28:53 | Neringa AIDIETYTÉ (LTU) | Ivano-Frankivsk | 1 Oct 06 |
After 20 minutes of race is leading a pair composed of Ines Henriques (POR) and Hang Yin (CHN).
They pass together at 5km in 24:43.
Other three athletes followes in 26:04 and are: Nair Da Rosa (BRA), Shuquing Yang (CHN) and Kathleen Burnett (USA).
But there are no longer in seven to walk: Erin Taylor Talcott (USA) was disqualified just before the 45-minute race.
The two leaders pass at 10km in 49:22, while the other three athletes follow at 51:45.
Closes Susan Randall (USA) in 55:01, if the pace is going to be this in perspective she will not be able to finish the race in the time requested for 48km (4:17:00).
They pass at 15km in the same order of the previous 10km with the two leaders in 1:13: 43 and the other three followers in 1:17:41.
Ines Henriques (POR) and Hang Yin (CHN) are together at 20km in 1:37:59. Shuquing Yang (CHN) and Kathleen Burnett (USA) follows in 1:43:19 in front of Nair Da Rosa (BRA) in 1.45:30.
30km
The two leaders pass at 25km in 2:02:18 on world record pace.
Split time at 30km isi 2:26:35 for Ines Henriques (POR) who pass 4" in front of Hang Yin (CHN) passing in 2:26:39.
Follows Shuqing Yang (CHN) in 2:34:22, Kathleen Burnett (USA) in 2:34:43 e Nair Da Rosa (2:41:18)
40km
Ines Henriques (POR) pass aT 35km in 2:50:52 while Hang Yin (CHN) pass in 2:51:42.
Split time at 40km is 3:15:14 for Ines Henriques (POR) walking for the new world record while Hang Yin (CHN) pass in 3.17:04.
They follows Shuqing Yang (CHN) in 3:26:31, Kathleen Burnett (USA) in 3:27:10, Nair Da Rosa (BRA) in 3:38:47 and Susan Randall (USA) in 3:57:40.
Last 10 km
At 45km: Ines Henriques (POR) passes in 3:39:56, Hang Yin (CHN) passes in 3:43:07.
In the last 5km, the Portuguese understands that his world record is on the go, and he does not miss the opportunity.
She wins in 4:05:56
Second place to Hang Yin (CHN) in 4:08:58.
Third place to Shuqing Yang (CHN) in 4:20:49
Fourth place to Kathleen Burnett (USA) in 4:21:51
They do not rank Nair Da Rosa (BRA) and Susan Randall (USA) who do not pass to 48km in less than 4:17:00.
Ines Henriques and Hang Yin during the race (phpto by Getty Images for IAAF)
(from IAAF web-site by Pauyl Warburton)
Ines Henriques breezed home to become the first women’s world 50km race walk champion – and at the same time pocketed a handsome $160,000 for her win and world record* of 4:05:56.
The Portuguese took the plunge into the longer distance in February to set the initial mark of 4:08:26, but easily reset that by more than two minutes to take gold from China’s Yin Hang on a hot Sunday morning as the seven women rubbed shoulders with the men’s race that took place at the same time.
Rewind to May and the European Cup in Podebrady, and Henriques was in tears after being disqualified at 20 kilometres.
This time it was all beams and smiles as she took the finishing line, and after this win, there will surely be others making the switch up in distance as all four finishers earned excellent prize money. In the case of Yin and teammate Yang Shuqing, it was also silver and bronze in that order.
The only other race walker to make it to the end was Kathleen Burnett from the USA who set an area record, as well as claiming $15,000 for fourth and beating the time limit.
On their ground-breaking performance, the leading women started out at a decent lick with Henriques partnered by Yin at about 4:10:00 pace, with four others already more than a minute behind by eight kilometres.
Fate then dealt a savage blow on the race walker who did more than any other to get an equal footing with the men.
Erin Talcott-Taylor championed the cause for inclusion at the long event, but was a brought to a halt at 10 kilometres when the dreaded red disc of disqualification was brandished at her.
At the sharp end, the two leaders were a kilometre ahead of the rest ahead by halfway gained in 2:02:18 and on for a rewrite of the previous best mark.
Henriques looked the more comfortable as the toil told on the bobbing head of Yin, and a gap slowly but surely started to appear.
At 30 kilometres it was only four seconds, but over the next 20 minutes it extended beyond 40, and as a race, the Portuguese had it sewn up.
She eventually crossed the line a comfortable winner in 4:05:56 while Yin set an Asian record of 4:08:58 in second place. Yang took bronze with a PB of 4:20:49 while USA's Kate Burnett set a North American record of 4:21:51 in fourth.
The remainder was something of a procession, but spare a thought for Brazil’s Nair Da Rosa who missed the cut-off point deemed to be 4:17:00 going into the last two-kilometre loop and had to step off the road.
Next time, it’s almost certain seven women will be five times that number with the medals and prize money on offer.
Paul Warburton for the IAAF
Ines Henriques dream came true