50 kilometres Race Walk, Men

Slovakia’s Matej Tóth was the 2015 World Champion and came to Rio as the favorite, with Australian Jared Tallent expected to challenge. Tallent had been silver medallist in Beijing and originally won silver in London, but was moved up to the gold medal after a doping disqualification. France’s Yohann Diniz, the world record holder, took the lead and held it through 30 km. He soon succumbed to intestinal distress. The lead was then taken by Canadian Evan Dunfee, but Tallent took over and led through 40 and 45 km. He could not hold the pace, as Tóth caught him at 48 km and eventually won by 18 seconds. Japan’s Hirooki Arai was eight seconds behind Tallent, and finished 14 seconds ahead of Dunfee. Arai was soon disqualified, however, and Dunfee moved up to third place. Arai’s DQ was for impeding Dunfee and interfering with him, but on Japanese appeal the disqualification was overturned and Arai received the bronze medal with Dunfee fourth.