Former world and European silver medallist Katarzyna Zdzieblo from Poland was among the winners at the Lusatian Race Walking International meeting, a World Athletics Race Walking Tour Silver event, in Zittau on Saturday (25).
The 29-year-old, who won silver medals in both the 20km and 35km race walk at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, stepped up in distance to win the newly-established marathon race walk in 3:24:19 by almost ten minutes from Ecuador's Magaly Beatriz Bonilla in 3:34:11.
In a more competitive men's marathon, Italy's Andrea Agrusti took the plaudits in 3:03:55, winning by just over one minute from Germany's Karl Junghannss (3:04:51) with Hungary's Mate Helebrandt (3:07:26) with Poland's Maher Ben Hlima fourth in 3:07:51.
Italian teammate Giulia Gabriele, a medallist at both the European Athletics U20 and U23 Championships, won the women's half marathon in 1:38:16 ahead of fellow 19-year-old Mina Stankovic from Serbia in 1:39:10 while Roberto Vasquez led a Mexican clean sweep in the men's half marathon, winning in 1:25:26.
The half marathon and marathon race walking events will be part of the programme at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, replacing the 20km and 35km race walking events.
The changes to the competition programme were formally approved at the European Athletics Congress in Batumi, Georgia on Saturday morning.