BEIJING, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- World Athletics will introduce half marathon and marathon distances to race walk events in 2026 in an effort to help fans better grasp the speed of the sport, president Sebastian Coe said Tuesday.

Under the schedule for the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships on April 12, 2026, the traditional 20-kilometer race walk will be replaced by a half marathon race walk, while the 35km event will shift to a marathon race walk. It will be the first time the new distances appear at major international competitions.

"I think it's a good decision to change those distances to distances that people have become accustomed to in other events," Coe said during a virtual media call. "They can relate to the times and it's often overlooked just how talented and how fast our race walkers are going."

Coe added that he expects the new distances to remain in place long term, noting they would also suit the Olympic program.

Race walk formats have undergone several changes in the past decade. The women's 50km debuted at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships alongside the men's 50km and both 20km events, but both 50km races were dropped before reaching the Olympic stage and replaced by a 35km event at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon.

The men's 50km was also removed from the 2024 Paris Olympics in favor of a marathon race walk mixed relay.

In April, the IOC released the Los Angeles 2028 athletics schedule, confirming the half marathon as the only walk distance for men and women. ■