There’s breaking world records, and then there’s demolishing them – which is what Maria Perez did at the European Race Walking Team Championships on Sunday.
The Spaniard broke the women’s 35km race walk word record by an astonishing 29 seconds, beating the mark set by Peru’s Kimberly Garcia in March.
Perez crossed the line in two hours, 37 minutes and 15 seconds in Podebrady, Czech Republic, more than eight minutes ahead of her nearest challenger, compatriot Raquel Gonzales. Cristina Montesinos finished third to complete a clean sweep for Spain.
According to European Athletics, the last Spaniard to break a world record in track and field was Francisco Fernandez in the 10,000m race walk in 2008.
“It is a nice feeling to finish the race and the time is a big reward for this,” Perez said, per European Athletics.
“I did not think of any time or any special target before the start, I just wanted to finish the best I could.”
Perez’s time will go through World Athletics’ ratification procedure, which is usual practice when records are broken. (CNN)
•PHOTO:Maria Perez pictured competing at the World Athletics Championships in 2022.
SergioMateo/Europa Press Sports/Getty Images
NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
