Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix Explained

Date:March, April, or May
Location:Taicang, Jiangsu, China
Type:Race walking
Iaaf Category:A (World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold)
Distance:20 km race walk
35 km race walk
50 km race walk
Marathon race walk mixed relay
Est:2011

The Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix, formerly known as the Taicang IAAF Race Walking Challenge, is an annual race walking competition held in Taicang, China. As of 2023, it is a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Gold level meetingthe highest-level circuit of international race walking competitions.[1]

The meeting is organized by the Chinese Athletic Association, and it is typically held in March, April, or May. There was a domestic race walking competition held in Taicang as far back as 2010, but the meeting became sponsored by World Athletics (then IAAF) and attracted international talent starting in 2011. In 2014, it served as the 2014 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, and in 2018 it hosted the championship again under its new name 2018 IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships.[2] [3] In 2024, it also served as the 2024 Olympic trials for China in the race walk. The citizens of Taicang were reported to have a "deep passion" for walking, and the city fielded a race walking team at the 2014 edition.

The competition was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in China, and it did not return until 2023, rebranded as the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix (or National Race Walking Grand Prix).[4] There was a separate National Race Walking Grand Prix in Taicang in the past, but it did not receive Tour / IAAF Challenge status before 2023.

Editions

Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix editions! !! Name !! Date !!
22-24 April 2011
30 March 2012
1 March 2013
3-4 May 2014
1 May 2015
23 April 2016
15 April 2017
5-6 May 2018
11 May 2019
8-9 April 2023
3-9 March 2024

Winners

Year !!colspan=6
Men !Women Mixed
Marathon race walk mixed relay
20111:18:30 colspan=2 3:38:481:27:17 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20121:17:36 colspan=2 1:25:46 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20131:18:52 colspan=2 1:27:36 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20141:18:37 colspan=2 3:39:381:26:31 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20151:19:53 colspan=2 1:32:21 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20161:20:52 colspan=2 1:30:51 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20171:22:16 colspan=2 1:31:01 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20181:21:13 colspan=2 3:44:251:26:38 colspan=2 4:04:36 colspan=2
20191:19:48 colspan=2 1:28:00 colspan=2 colspan=2 colspan=2
20231:17:38 2:35:17 1:28:49 2:51:20 colspan=2 colspan=2
20241:17:26 colspan=2 1:26:07 colspan=2 colspan=2 3:01:22 [5]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024 World Athletics Race Walking Tour to kick off in Taicang . 2024-03-30 . jiangsu.chinadaily.com.cn.
  2. Web site: 2018 World Race Walking Team Championships has world champion ambassador . 2024-03-30 . chinaplus.cri.cn.
  3. Web site: 2014 IAAF World Race Walking Cup to open in Taicang . 2024-03-30 . jiangsu.chinadaily.com.cn.
  4. Web site: World champion Yang wins season debut at China's Race Walk Grand Prix - People's Daily Online . 2024-03-30 . en.people.cn.
  5. Web site: Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix World Athletics Race Walking Tour World Athletics . 2024-03-30 . worldathletics.org.