Kawano, Henderson Set World Marathon Race Walk Records in Japan

TAKAHATA, Japan — Japan’s Masatora Kawano and Australia’s Rebecca Henderson made history on Sunday, October 25, 2026, setting new men’s and women’s world records in the marathon race walk at the All Japan Race Walking meeting in Takahata.

Kawano clocked 2 hours, 55 minutes and 14 seconds (2:55:14) to establish the inaugural men’s world record for the marathon race walk, while Henderson completed the women’s event in 3:14:52, breaking the existing world record.

The competition, held as part of the World Athletics Race Walking Tour Bronze series, marked a significant milestone for the discipline, with both the marathon and half-marathon race walks officially recognised as events from January 1, 2026.

Kawano, a two-time World Championships medallist in the 35-kilometre race walk, delivered a decisive performance in the men’s race. He broke away from a leading group of five competitors at approximately the 36-kilometre mark and maintained his advantage to the finish.

His time surpassed the previous best performance on the same course, where fellow Japanese athlete Hayato Katsuki recorded 2:55:28 in 2025.

Kazuya Iwai finished second in 2:55:55, while Kazuki Takahashi took third place in 2:56:45. Katsuki finished fourth in 2:56:59.

Kawano’s performance was particularly significant because World Athletics had established 2:56:30 as the performance standard for the inaugural men’s world marathon race walk record. His finishing time comfortably surpassed that benchmark.

In the women’s competition, Henderson produced an equally impressive performance, finishing in 3:14:52 to improve on the previous world record of 3:15:11 set by Italy’s Sofia Fiorini at the European Championships in Birmingham in August.

The Australian controlled the race from the early stages, building a commanding advantage over her competitors. Japan’s Ayane Yanai finished second in 3:29:10, establishing a Japanese record, while veteran race walker Masumi Fuchise placed third in 3:38:42.

Both record-breaking performances came in challenging conditions, with heavy rain affecting the races and athletes negotiating a course featuring slight elevation changes throughout the 42.195-kilometre distance.

The results underline the emerging significance of the marathon race walk as international athletics continues to establish competitive benchmarks for the newly recognised event.

Kawano and Henderson’s performances will remain subject to the usual World Athletics ratification procedures before the records are officially confirmed.

Source: World Athletics.

Picture credit: Internet

2026 Singapore Grand Prix: F1 Teams Complete Practice and Qualifying Ahead of Marina Bay Showdown

The 2026 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix brings the spotlight to the demanding Marina Bay Street Circuit, where drivers and teams navigate one of the championship’s most physically challenging and technically demanding venues. With practice and qualifying sessions wrapping up ahead of the main race, attention shifts to grid positions, tyre strategies and the battle for supremacy under the lights of Singapore.
The Marina Bay circuit is renowned for its tight corners, unforgiving barriers, high humidity and limited opportunities for overtaking. These characteristics make qualifying particularly important, as a strong starting position can significantly influence a driver’s chances of securing a competitive result.
Practice sessions provide teams with the opportunity to assess car balance, evaluate tyre performance and fine-tune their setups for the circuit’s demanding street layout. Qualifying then raises the stakes, with drivers seeking to extract maximum performance from their cars while avoiding costly mistakes on the narrow track.

Key highlights ahead of the Grand Prix

Verstappen takes pole position
Max Verstappen secured pole with a lap of 1:31.373, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc by 0.054 seconds. Lewis Hamilton qualified third, setting up a competitive battle at the front.

Russell tops practice but faces a setback George Russell led the only practice session with a time of 1:32.274. However, a power-unit penalty means he faces a major challenge in Sunday’s race, despite showing strong early pace.

Ferrari mounts a serious challenge Leclerc and Hamilton secured second and third on the qualifying timesheets, respectively. Their pace puts Ferrari in a strong position to challenge Verstappen, provided the team gets its race strategy right.

Marina Bay presents a formidable testThe 4.927-kilometre circuit features 19 corners and demands precision, concentration and physical endurance. Its narrow layout leaves drivers with little room for error and makes track position especially valuable.

Weather adds another layer of uncertainty. Heavy rain delayed Saturday’s sprint race, forcing teams to contend with wet-track conditions and reduced visibility. Any further weather disruption could complicate tyre selection, pit-stop timing and safety-car decisions.

The 2026 Singapore Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday, 11 October, with the 62-lap race set to begin at 8 p.m. Singapore time (1 p.m. UTC)