What drinks are provided during the race, and where?
A · Advanced · The race · 1 of 5Water and other refreshments are available at the start and finish. In walks longer than 10 km there is a refreshment station on every lap, with water and sponging stations about halfway between. Team officials may hand drinks to walkers from behind the table or from beside it, never from in front. They may not move alongside a walker.
How it works
- Start and finish: "Water and other suitable refreshments shall be available at the start and finish of all races."
- 5 km to 10 km: water-only drinking and sponging stations are provided at suitable intervals if the weather calls for it.
- Longer than 10 km: "refreshment stations shall be provided every lap". Water-only drinking and sponging stations are placed about midway between them, or more often if the weather calls for it.
- Whose drinks: refreshments may be provided by the organisers or by the athlete.
- Personal drinks are guarded: an athlete's own refreshments are kept under the supervision of officials from the moment they are handed in, so that they "are not altered or tampered with in any way".
- The station area: marked out with barriers, tables or lines on the ground.
- Reaching the drinks: they are placed where athletes can pick them up easily, or put into their hands by authorised persons.
- Where helpers stand: they may hand a drink over "either from behind, or from a position no more than one metre to the side, but not in front, of the table". They may not enter the course or obstruct any athlete.
- No running alongside: "No official or authorised person shall, under any circumstances, move beside an athlete while they are taking refreshment or water."
- How many helpers: at the top competitions, no more than two officials from each member federation at one time behind the table.
- Mist stations: may also be arranged where the conditions make them appropriate.
Tricky cases
Can a coach jog beside an athlete for a few metres to pass a bottle?
No. Nobody may move beside an athlete while they are taking refreshment or water.
Can a team official stand in front of the table to hand over a drink?
No. In race walking the handover is from behind the table or from no more than a metre to its side. The commentary says this is deliberately different from road running.
Is there water in a 5 km race?
It depends on the weather. Water is always at the start and finish. Stations on the course are provided for walks of 5 km to 10 km if the conditions call for them.
Who makes sure nobody tampers with an athlete's own drink?
Officials appointed by the organisers. They keep the drinks under supervision from the time they are handed in.
Why the rule exists
Drink is a matter of safety over these distances, so the rules require it. They also control it. Fixed stations and guarded bottles mean every athlete has the same chances to drink and nobody's drink can be interfered with. Keeping helpers still stops a handover from turning into pacing or coaching on the move.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 54.10.1 to 54.10.6 |
| Road running | Water about every 5 km. Helpers stay inside a marked area and may stand in front of the table | TR 55.8.2; TR 55.8.5 |
| Track races | Water and sponges may be provided in races of 5000 m or longer if the weather calls for it | TR 17.15.1 |
| Teams with more than three athletes | The competition's regulations may allow extra officials at the tables | TR 54.10.6 (note) |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 54.10.1 to 54.10.6 with the commentary printed under rule 54.10. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).