World Athletics Championships 2019: Toshikazu Yamanishi clinches gold in 20 km race to complete clean sweep in walking

Doha: Toshikazu Yamanishi completed a walk golden double for Japan at the World Athletics Championships on Friday winning the 20 kilometres title. The 23-year-old former world youth champion timed one hour 26 minutes and 34 seconds in Doha. [caption id=“attachment_7454931” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Toshikazu Yamanishi, of Japan, competes to win the men’s 20km race walk at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. AP[/caption] Yamanishi — whose compatriot Yusuke Suzuki became the first Japanese male athlete to win the 50km walk last Sunday — had the world-leading time this year coming into the event. However, an indication of the toughness of the conditions saw him finish 10 minutes off that time. Yamanishi’s victory ensured Japan became the first country to win both men’s titles since Spain in 1993. Yamanishi came home 15 seconds clear of Vasily Mizinov, competing as an Authorised Neutral Athlete due to the IAAF’s ban on Russia because of the doping scandal. Perseus Karlstrom secured Sweden’s first medal of the championships, taking bronze in a time of 1 hour and 27 minutes.