BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Maria Perez completed a Spanish double in the 20 kilometres race walk at the World Athletics Championships after comfortably beating Australia’s Jemima Montag to win the women’s event on Sunday, with Antonella Palmisano of Italy taking bronze.
Like compatriot Alvaro Martin in the men’s event on the opening day of the championships on Saturday, Perez pulled away from the chasing pack with around 5km remaining and crossed the finish line in one hour, 26 minutes and 51 seconds.
The 27-year-old clinched her first world title after finishing 25 seconds ahead of Montag, with Olympic champion Palmisano third in 1:27:26.
Defending champion Kimberly Garcia Leon of Peru finished a further sixth seconds adrift of Palmisano in fourth place.
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Hyderabad; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
