What exactly must a race walker do?
B · Beginner · The event · 2 of 6A race walker must do two things. One foot must appear to be on the ground at all times, so that no loss of contact is visible to the human eye. The leading leg must be straight, not bent at the knee, from the moment it touches the ground until it is upright under the body.
How it works
- The rule: "Race Walking is a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground, so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs."
- The leg: "The advancing leg must be straightened (i.e. not bent at the knee) from the moment of first contact with the ground until the vertical upright position."
- Loss of contact: both feet off the ground at once, where a judge can see it. Walkers call it lifting.
- Bent knee: the leading leg bent at any point between landing and the upright position.
- After upright: the rule stops at the vertical position. The leg may bend once it has passed under the body.
- The human eye: the test is what a judge can see. Judges' decisions "shall be based on observations made by the human eye".
- All the way: the rule applies "during any part of the competition", from the start to the finish line.
- The symbols: in results and on the paddles, ">" stands for a bent knee and "~" for loss of contact.
Tricky cases
A slow-motion replay shows both of a walker's feet off the ground for an instant. Is that a fault?
No, not on that evidence. The rule is about loss of contact visible to the human eye, and judges decide by eye.
Does the knee have to stay straight for the whole stride?
No. It must be straight from first contact with the ground until the leg is upright. After that it may bend.
Can a walker break into a jog for two steps to get round a rival?
No. The definition applies during any part of the competition.
Is there a rule about how the arms or hips move?
No. The definition covers contact and the leading leg only.
Why the rule exists
Running has a moment in every stride when both feet are in the air and a knee that bends as the foot lands. The two tests pick out those two things. Tying the contact test to the human eye keeps the event judged by people standing on the course, at the speed the race is walked.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 54.2 |
| Clothing | Walkers may not wear clothing that hides the knee. Close-fitting long tights are accepted | TR 5.1 commentary |
| In the results | ">" for bent knee and "~" for loss of contact | CR 25.5 |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 54.2, 54.3.2 and 54.6, the commentary under Technical Rule 5.1 and Competition Rule 25.5. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).