Katsuki Hayato of Japan celebrates after the men's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Hayato Katsuki won the men's marathon race walk on home soil at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Sunday, while Kazakhstan's Yasmina Toxanbayeva took the women's title.
China claimed two silver medals and a bronze across the two races.
Katsuki completed the 42.195-kilometer course in 3:03:36, finishing more than three minutes ahead of China's Zhou Yingcheng, who clocked 3:06:40. Japan's Motofumi Suwa took bronze in 3:08:57, with China's Tang Yushuai finishing fourth.
The 35-year-old Katsuki, who won the 50km race walk at the 2018 Asian Games, said this year marked the first time the Games had staged the marathon distance, adding that he was "definitely stronger over the marathon distance than over 35 kilometers" and he hoped to see a long-distance race walk return to the Olympic program.
Zhou, making his Asian Games debut, said he was pleased with silver. "Just being able to compete on this stage already feels like a victory," he said. "There's still a gap between me and the gold medal, but that gap is also a source of motivation."
Toxanbayeva won the women's race in 3:22:20. China's Danzengquzong took silver in a personal best of 3:26:09, while compatriot Ma Li fought back from a three-minute penalty to claim bronze in 3:32:26.
Ma, who received three red cards after covering more than 10 kilometers and served time in the penalty zone, said she had little hope of a medal at that point. Encouraged by her coach to keep pushing, she clawed back positions late in the race.
"I was unlucky, but perhaps lucky too," Ma said. "I kept chasing the walkers ahead of me."
Both races were held on a looped course near Nagoya Castle, passing the Aichi Prefectural Government Office and Nagoya City Hall. ■
Katsuki Hayato of Japan celebrates after the men's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Zhou Yingcheng of China celebrates after the men's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Jia Yuchen)
Zhou Yingcheng (R) of China and Suwa Motofumi of Japan compete during the men's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Yasmina Toxanbayeva of Kazakhstan cries after the women's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Danzengquzong (L) and Ma Li of China compete during the women's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Danzengquzong (R) of China and Yasmina Toxanbayeva of Kazakhstan hug after the women's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Yasmina Toxanbayeva of Kazakhstan cries after the women's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
Ma Li of China celebrates after the women's marathon race walk final of Athletics at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, Sept. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
