In the 2016 Rome World Cup, it was the first time that women were allowed to compete in the 50 kilometers race, but it was held as part of the men's race and only one woman participated.
In the 2017 London World Championships, the race was officially held, but only seven women ended up competing. And now, in the 2018 Taicang World Cup, 32 female walkers participated, which demonstrates the interest that athletes have in excelling internationally in this distance, despite it being very demanding.
"It is something new and novel for women after it became an official sport last year, and it only lacks being part of the Olympic program. If the race is exhausting and there comes a point where you want it to end, but you have to endure. The training is very different and there is no point of comparison, that is to say, we don't focus on speed but rather on mileage with less intensity. You get tired in a different way and it is harder to recover," declared Spanish walker Júlia Takács.
There are even walkers who appreciate the opportunity that has been opened for women in this distance, as they could not fully develop their talent in this discipline in the 20 kilometers race.
"I always had the impression that the 20 kilometers was already a very short distance for me, and this distance gives me one more opportunity, so I am very happy that this race has been included for women. Indeed, in the last part, I was completely exhausted and in agony, and it is a different effort than in the 20 kilometers, but it is something for me," mentioned Australian walker Claire Tallent.
Chinese walker Rui Liang made her first fifty kilometers in the Taicang World Cup and won the title, in addition to setting a new world record with a time of 4:04:36 hours. The previous world record in the women's 50km belonged to Portuguese walker Inés Henriquez with a time of 4:05:56 hours, achieved at the 2017 London World Championships, but now in Taicang that time has been surpassed by the Chinese walker.
The second place in the world championship was for Chinese walker Hang Yin with a time of 4:09:09 hours, and the third place was for Australian walker Claire Tallent with a time of 4:09:33.
"At first, I didn't expect to win the title and break the world record, but my coach did expect me to do it. He had confidence that I could do it even though I didn't have it in myself, since it was the first time I competed in the 50 kilometers race, and it was at kilometer 40 when I believed that I could win and break the world record," mentioned Liang.
The Asian explained why she decided to switch to the 50 kilometers race: "In ordinary training compared to other teammates, I didn't have the best speed, that's why I didn't have enough advantages in the 20 kilometers race, because my speed is not as good as my endurance, and my coach sees that very clearly and advised me to insist on the 50 kilometers distance, that's why I have received a lot of training in that distance."
However, there is one drawback for athletes who walk this distance, and that is that the race is not yet part of the Olympic program, therefore, many of them consider returning to the 20 kilometers race when the time comes to seek the mark in that event.
"Now the 50 kilometers is not in the Olympics and that is a shame. Although it is not part of that program now, it is in the world championship and the world cup, so I will continue in this distance as long as I can achieve victories for my country. If it still doesn't enter the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I will switch to the 20 kilometers," mentioned Liang.
So, female walkers will continue to take advantage of the opportunity to compete in the 50 kilometers race regardless of how demanding it is and that endurance is one of the keys to at least complete the distance.
"It is true that they say for men that there comes a certain point in their career when they should switch to the 50 kilometers, but in the case of women, it will not be like that because both veterans and young walkers have the same possibility of succeeding, especially since this race has just emerged," mentioned Spanish walker Ainhoa Pinedo.