Ivanova dominates world 20 kilometres walk

Russia's Olimpiada Ivanova was a convincing winner in the women's 20 kilometres walk at the world championships on Thursday after a race of attrition among the main medal contenders.

Ivanova, who had the two fastest times this year ahead of the championships, lead from the start to win in a championship record of one hour 27.48 minutes.

Belarussian Valentina Tsybulskaya won the silver medal in a personal best of 1:28.49 and Elisabetta Perrone of Italy took the bronze in 1:28.56.

Ivanova, the European Cup holder, served a two-year drug suspension and was disqualified after a second-place finish at the 1997 world championships in Athens.

The women's 20 kilometres walk was introduced to the world championships in Seville two years ago. The walk had been contested over 10 kilometres (10,000 metres) since the Rome worlds in 1987.

Rivals Disqualified
Ivanova lead the athletes out of the stadium and never lost the lead. She had the race won at the halfway mark when the last of her main rivals was disqualified.

Among them was defending champion China's Liu Hongyu, who was also disqualified at the Sydney Olympics -- an event that saw three of the race leaders disqualified.

Australia's Jane Saville, who was dramatically disqualified as she was about to enter the stadium to claim the gold medal in Sydney last year, was stopped just before the halfway mark this time.

Portugal's Susana Feitor, a former world and European junior champion, challenged for the bronze until she also was ousted at the 53-minute mark.

Bronze medallist at Seville, Australia's Kerry Saxby-Junna, met a similar fate.

Of the 42 athletes in the event, 15 were disqualified.

Angela Keogh walked at a pace that allowed her to ensure her foot technique was by the book.

Keogh, 39, the Norfolk Island record holder, was already metres behind the pack when they left the stadium to start the street circuit. She was lapped twice by gold medallist Ivanova but was still a crowd favourite.

Keogh beamed as she entered the stadium and finished her race as the lone athlete on the track. She waved to the roaring crowd and finished in 2:08.45 -- more than 40 minutes behind the winner, who was presented with her gold medal shortly after.