Sofia Fiorini of Italy has obliterated the women’s race walking marathon world record at the 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, demolishing the previous mark by more than nine minutes. The performance represents one of the most dominant efforts in the discipline’s recent history.
Record-Breaking Performances
The Italian champion’s achievement came on the same day that Spain’s Maria Perez established her own place in the record books. Perez set a new world record in the half-marathon race walking distance, adding to what has become an extraordinary showcase for the sport at the Birmingham event.
A Historic Day for Race Walking
The performances by both athletes have cemented the 2026 European Athletics Championships as a landmark moment for race walking on the global stage. With Fiorini and Perez each establishing new world benchmarks in their respective distances, the two nations have demonstrated their dominance in a discipline that demands exceptional endurance, technique, and mental fortitude.
The scale of Fiorini’s record-breaking effort—surpassing the previous marathon world record by over nine minutes—underscores the extraordinary nature of her achievement. Such a significant margin is rare at the elite level of international athletics, particularly in an event as grueling as the race walking marathon.
These accomplishments at the Birmingham Championships have firmly established both athletes among the sport’s all-time greats and highlighted the continued evolution of race walking as a competitive discipline at Europe’s premier athletics competition.