50 kilometres Race Walk, Men

After an early career that saw several disqualifications for technique violations, Robert Korzeniowski had become the best 50 km. walker in the world. He was the two-time defending Olympic champion, had won the 1998 and 2002 European Championships, and the 1997, 2001, and 2003 World Championships. At the halfway point, Korzeniowski was in the lead group with Denis Nizhegorodov (RUS), Yu Chaohong (CHN), and Australia’s Nathan Deakes attempting to stay with him. But Korzo then put the hammer down and the race was over. He eventually won by four minutes with Nizhegorodov getting the silver medal. It was his third consecutive gold medal in the event and he then retired.