News & Updates

Temperatures exceeding 30c and more than 90% humidity were the biggest obstacles in the women’s 20km race walk on day 3 of the IAAF World Championships.

Alana Barber headed out in the lead group just before midnight and was sitting in 20^th through the first 5km, dropping back slightly to 23^rd at the 10km and 15km mark. It was clear to see the conditions had taken their toll as Alana made it over the finish line in 1:40:59 (27^th place), eight minutes behind the winner Hong Liu from China.

Alana said prior to the event that she wasn’t sure what to expect: “This event presents unique challenges that competitors have never experienced before. A race in the middle of the night in challenging weather conditions may produce surprising results.”