Elena Lashmanova overcame a short moment of confusion on Tuesday to capture the world title in the women’s 20 kilometres walk while a late disqualification denied hosts Russia a medal sweep.
Olympic champion Lashmanova entered Luzhniki stadium first from a loop course, slowed down after reaching the finish line before being told by officials that she had to do one more lap.
She picked up the pace again, was confused again with 200m to go but won in 1 hour 27 minutes 8 seconds ahead of Anisya Kirdyapkina.
Countrywoman Vera Sokolova came into the stadium third, didn’t know where to go, then seemingly made a few incorrect strides and was disqualified after a third warning with 450m to go, clearing the way for China’s Liu Hong to get bronze.
“The judges didn’t really explain to us what to do one lap before the finish. But I quickly understood that I should keep going,” Lashmanova said.
“I am happy to win a gold medal in the capital of my home country.
I am even happier that we made it a Russian one-two. It is a pity that Vera Sokolova was disqualified in the stadium.” Russia has now won both contested walks in Moscow, following Alexandr Ivanov’s 20km success on the men’s side. The concluding men’s 50km is Wednesday. They have topped seven of the eight 20km women’s events even though three-times defending champion Olga Kaniskina withdrew on short notice for health reasons.
In other early action, British 10,000m champion Mo Farah reached the 5,000m final in a bid to repeat his 2012 Olympic long distance double at the worlds. Muktar Edris of Ethiopia led the heats in 13:20.82 in front of another sparse crowd.
Olha Saladuha of Ukraine led women’s triple jump qualifying and this year’s 2.40m jumpers Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar safely made the men’s high—jump decider.
Ukraine’s Genna Melnichenko held the heptathlon lead into the concluding 800m with 5,619 points ahead of Canadian Brianne Theisen Eaton (5,551) — the wife of decathlon gold medallist Ashton Eaton — and Dutch Dafne Schippers (5,492).
The evening session medal events, apart from the completion of the heptathlon, are the women’s steeplechase and pole vault, and the men’s 400m, 800m and discus.
