20 kilometres Race Walk, Men

China was expected to dominate the event as they came in with a formidable threesome of Chen Ding, the defending gold medallist, Wang Zhendong, and Cai Zelin. Wang was the bronze medallist at London and silver medallist at the 2011 and 2015 World Championships. Cai had been fourth at the London Olympics.

Chen was a non-factor, eventually placing 39th. Wang and Cai were in the lead pack at 12 km, along with Australian Dane Bird-Smith and Japan’s Daisuke Matsunaga. Matsunaga would not hold on, finishing seventh. Wang dropped Cai and Bird-Smith at 17 km and went on to win gold, with Cai giving China a 1-2 finish, and Bird-Smith holding on for bronze.