A world record in race walking is erased after the course was measured wrong

Peruvian race walker Kimberly Garcia had her world record invalidated due to a miscalculation in the race course at the Pan American Games.

What happened: After finishing the women’s 20-kilometer race walk event, it was determined that the track had a “measuring problem” and it was likely about 3 kilometers short of the intended length.
* This caused race times for all competitors, including Garcia, Glenda Morejon of Ecuador and Evelyn Inga of Peru to be deemed null and void.

Garcia’s response: She stated that the athletes had suspicions during the race as the time didn’t align with the distance.
* Garcia was quoted saying, “It didn’t affect myself alone, I wanted the Pan American record. Other girls wanted a spot in the Olympic Games. It is a shame that will not happen because the weather, everything was fit for good timings.”

Whose to blame?: The Santiago 2023 Corporation, the group in charge of the 2023 Pan American Games, pointed fingers at the Pan American Athletics Association, who was responsible for choosing the person who measured the racecourse.
* Santiago 2023 said in a statement that the one who measured the course “did not take accurate measurements of the route the athletes took during the race.”

Worth noting: Kimberly Garcia is a notable figure in the race walk scene, having won multiple gold medals in the past. She is also the first Peruvian woman to win a gold medal in this sport at the Pan American Games.

View original article on NPR
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