Two years after her dazzling double at the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships, Spain’s María Pérez heads to Tokyo intent on defending both the 20km and 35km race walk crowns-with her form exactly where she wants it.
“I’m coming into the World Championships in good shape, even better than at the Paris Olympic Games. I’m happy with the work and the summer I’ve put in to arrive in the best possible shape,” she told MARCA.
Olympic glory
Pérez’s has bolstered her impressive record since Budapest. At the Paris 2024 Olympics she and teammate Álvaro Martín captured the inaugural Olympic marathon race walk mixed relay, making Spain the first nation to win gold in the event. She also won silver in the women's 20km behidn China's Yang Jiayu, who will be absent from Tokyo.
Long before Paris, Pérez had already carved her name into the record books. In 2023, at the European Race Walking Team Championships in Poděbrady, she obliterated the women’s 35km world record with 2:37:15.
Her medal cabinet also gleams with European titles, including the 20km crown in Berlin 2018, followed by 35km gold at the Munich 2022. Plus she returned to Poděbrady earlier this year to defend her 35km title at the European Race Walking Team Championships and sped to a world lead 2:38.59.
Elite fields
Yet Pérez is not one to chase accolades in a vacuum. “I’m saddened to know that some of the opponents will be out due to injury because I like to face the best,” she said.
Italy’s Tokyo Olympic 20k champion Antonella Palmisano will be a formidable presence in both distances. Japan’s Nanako Fujii is the world leader in the 20k with 1:26.33 and Garcia has also identified Peru’s Kimberly García, Colombia’s Paula Torres and Mexico’s Alegna González as likely threats.
“The competition is quite high-level. I think they will be beautiful events at both distances, and I hope the spectators will enjoy them.”
With world titles to defend, an Olympic gold beside her name, and the 35km world record still in her possesion, Pérez arrives in Tokyo as the standard-bearer of women’s race walking—fit, focused, and ready for another statement performance.