Athletics - Men's 50KM Race Walk - Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games

[@giuliapacovich2943]

All of those who laugh at these athletes, I am a former racewalker and I can tell you this is way underrated. It may not look as elegant as running but believe me, it needs a specific technique work, otherwise you get penalised. It is also incredibly hard, the first times your shins are on fire. 50km like this are no joke, and these athletes are going faster than most of the amateur runners. It takes discipline, training and a significant grit.

[@Hank..]

I can't take this seriously. I know they must train hard, but that makes it that much more funny. They look like they're about to race hardcore, the shot fires, and they all start walking like they're late for an appointment. Its hilarious. And they all are taking it super seriously, which makes it that much funnier

[@ljeonjko]

+Hank Wimbleton 50 km in 3 and a half hours. just let that sink in...

[@Hank..]

ljeonjko that is startlingly impressive. you can't tell me you dont think it looks a bit funny tho

[@ljeonjko]

Hank Wimbleton it looks bit unnatural, as they are walking at a speed average person runs. nevertheless, it works like hell.

[@andreagonzalez340]

Yes! I agree very much! 😂👍🏻

[@joschakouhl6919]

i think it would be more interesting to watch if they do this with "athletes" who weight 160kg (350 lbs) or more... maybe not over this length but maybe 1 mile xD

[@robprinc89]

Ti vogliamo bene Alex! Nonostante tutto quello che ti hanno perpetrato, quel venerdì 22 agosto 2008 resterà per sempre nei libri e nei filmati di Storia dello sport azzurro! W Alex Schwazer! W l’Italia! 🥇💙🇮🇹

[@isabelc.9947]

1:17 did i just see a walker passing water to walker of another country? excellent display of what sportsmanship should be like there.

[@Nino_J]

Good observation

[@mariobassas2746]

funnily enoguh that walker who passed the water was caught for doping... XD

[@nicolopardo7334]

@@mariobassas2746 he was aqquited yesterday😊

[@kurtstark9966]

yes and he was the 1st passing he bottle to the 2nd

[@aceblindfire]

I still don't understand how this is even a thing, in order to do this someone has taken a conscious decision to say, fuck the 1500m sod the marathon, I want to dedicate my life to making it look like I've shit myself

[@megateriollamas183]

I freakin' love the race walk! It's my Olympic must see event every for years! LOL!

[@MovieVigilante]

The Speed Walking Dead would be a hilarious compromise between slow and fast zombies

[@mlbnation10]

is that supposed to b a joke

[@MovieVigilante]

No, I'm dead serious.

[@DamianDeEu]

Haha I couldn't stop laughing!

[@MovieVigilante]

***** Should I use smaller words?

[@RampagedProductions]

It's actually really really hard, they aren't going slow either. Guy on my highschool track team is one of the best in canada. There's a lot of rules like they have to always have 1 foot touching the ground. It's very intense to watch. Like think about it, those guys just walked 50 kilometres in just over 3 and a half hours. That's insane!

[@fallenvash]

Actually, keep in mind that due to the shorter stride, the cadence, or the number of strides taken in a minute, of a racewalker is roughly on par with that of a 400 meter runner. This means they are utilizing comparable levels of energy as their 400 meter runner counterparts, but they have to keep this energy up for a MUCH longer time, instead of a little under a minute, it is around 1 and a half hour for your typical Olympic racewalking medalists

[@Xelvielll]

Many of you don't understand the conditioning required for this. Firstly it's required to have both feet on the ground. Secondly try doing this for 3 hours without break. I'd rather run several miles than attempt this and I've done track for most of my life. I'm well conditioned and this still gives me night mares

[@dillclinton4379]

I remember the episode of Malcolm in the middle where hal got really into this with his spandex suit and aerodynamic walking helmet

[@thomasjames8277]

And he figured out that the first place guy was technically "running" because both feet were off the ground at the same time

[@sholaaurshabnam100]

dude.. the time they take to finish 50 km is equivalent to us running on the treadmill at the speed of 11 for 4 hours,, thats phenomenal and superhuman.. hence its an olympic sport

[@z894639]

The 50 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event that is competed by both men and women. The racewalking event is competed as a road race. Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it.

[@Fr3ckles83]

I can't RUN 31 miles at a 7:00 pace and these guys are somehow walking it? You all who are saying this isn't a sport or isn't impressive have noooo clue.

[@CryWolfFilms]

+Fr3ckles83 anything is impressive when you do it for 31 miles. the point is they had to make it 31 miles to be impressive lol.

[@katiecramer9382]

+Jesse Compton Well no kidding. Every sport is impressive based on different metrics. A marathon is impressive because it's 26 miles. Nobody would care if you ran 300 feet. Unless maybe you were Honey Boo Boo's mom.

[@LolindirElros]

+Jesse Compton Same as running. Is not impressive at all, only when you do it fast enough or for long enough and I don't see people here talking shit about runners.

[@CryWolfFilms]

LolindirElros because it's absolutely pointless to have walking, when you have running already. It makes no sense. It's the same god damn thing as jogging or running, but less impressive. that's like saying if they had baseball as an Olympic sport, that they should also include softball.

[@LolindirElros]

Jesse Compton By your logic, why have basketball if they already have soccer?

[@Rose31276]

After I had finished pole vaulting, someone from the race walking chair board or something approached me trying to recruit me into pageants and race walking.. Now I'm checking it out.. I can't wait to look like a rushed penguin.

[@StickyJ]

You Legend.

[@Blacktux94]

I admire these people for not giving into the will of just running.

[@MightBiteYa]

I saw nothing in the entire event that happened fast enough to warrant slow motion.

[@buzifalus]

"We'll get that bus/train"

[@DENMAR411]

I stayed up one night to watch the entire 50km race in Sydney 2000. People were getting confused about where the finish line was after the 50km it was insane.

[@sydandtaytum]

so, i just found out about this being an olympic sport today. i can't stop watching the videos now.

[@madambutrfly23]

How do you fall walking?

[@jalemusen]

In 1:08 a red circle is shown to a guy. Is he disqualified for running instead of walking? Or what is it?. And I agree, 50Kms en 3:37 is incredible.

[@RampagedProductions]

guy on my highschool track team tried to get in the london games this year but didn't make it. He's expected to be in 2016. I can tell you from experience this is not easy at all. They are not going slow like they are walking at a jogging pace for 50km without slowing down. and they always have to have 1 foot touching the ground there are tons of rules

[@goldmoose3981]

I can not believe this is still in the Olympics and wrestling is not.

[@VintagePatriot]

This all started with a running kid, a pool, and a lifeguard...

[@Iuventus_1897]

Scwharzer the GOD OF 50 KM🇮🇹🚀

[@TheSynfection]

Racewalking is phenomenal.

[@jm5390]

That has to kill your shins. 🤔

[@EGarrett01]

I came for the comments.

[@geikogecko]

yep it is

[@J4m3z1]

Did you read it off a news article about the silliest Olympic sports? Because I've just heard of race-walking today aswell.

[@MegaMserika]

I love this event

[@BlackSugar419]

ive never even seen or heard this mentioned as part of Olympic summer sports

[@relix7373]

wow, best sport ever

[@tylersmyler]

when they penalties are they disqualified? who's watching them all the time?

[@SpiderwebRob]

do you need to warm up or cool down after this event? i would imagine not (i do long distance running)

[@goobiehoobie]

50k divided by the time of 3:37:09 is 8.58 mph pace. 8.58 mph guys?!?!!?

[@Kobaganda]

You don't need to warm up over long distance running. Full glycogen stores are more important than oxygen delivery over long distance.

[@newaccount292]

well i mean it sorta depends on the distance cuz speed walking is diffferent to some people like what it actually is

[@gabrielle18ish]

3 hours and 27 minutes of walking and you get a gold medal..

[@LikeSnoop]

This is probably the funniest video I've ever seen

[@CounterVen]

+Zach Vega same here

[@dujedcv1]

Best comment. Ever. In the history of KZbin. It made this video 1000000 times funnier

[@BigfatHank49]

Apparently it is really easy to get disqualified, and they make the rules so damn complex

[@Leeotas]

How is this not absolutely hilarious?

[@Sncommand]

So, when does someone go from walking to running?

[@brisbanelionsfan1581]

50 kilometers like hell!

[@MaestroMinghi]

Alex Dopingschwazer "won" the gold medal!!!

[@TheTwixx101]

This just made my life

[@Kobaganda]

What are you talking about? There are races that are far longer than that that are all runnning. The Spartathlon is 246km. I have a 65km racing coming up - ALL running. 50km is nothing in in the world of ultramarathoning.

[@JollyMud]

yep

[@EdwardCletusKasidy]

Maybe for the first few meters but can you keep up with them for 50km?

[@aryx027]

What is this MinutePhysics that everyone is talking about?

[@drcharlottebassett]

50 km ~ 31.1 miles. The guy who won did that race in 3 hours and 37 minutes. He walked at ~ 8.5 mph. If he were to walk a marathon, he'd do it in just over 3 hours. Yes, though the marathon world record time is an astonishing 2 hours and 3 minutes, a three hour marathon is incredible nonetheless (even for runners). I'd say that this dude is a very successful marathon racer. Moreover, he's not destroying his joints in the process.

[@gbo2k69]

This is like a competition to see who can whisper the loudest.

[@CCNezin1]

And what is exactly wrong with what they are doing?

[@Ibangedmatt]

Wow! wrestling is gone and this is still here

[@pressure12345678910]

Looks weird like your purposely limiting your body.

[@spaztickolon]

There is no doubt this is a grueling race, but it's the WAY they are walking. It makes me laugh every time I see it.

[@enHIGHtened]

How does the guy in last place resist the urge to just sprint to the front?

[@Hotboy-blo_officiall]

Nothing against the competitors but this shit funny man

[@JUANPEREZ-hr3sn]

see more?

[@reptile905]

Both feet have to be on the ground at all times? They aren't just standing there.

[@Maryssa4335]

Who defines the line between walking and jogging?!?!

[@liammellor6874]

Please tell me this is part of a comedy sketch. This cannot be a real event, it looks ridiculous.

[@PhotoTech99]

i laughed so hard when they started walking, and especially when the guy fell all dramatic in the beginning

[@Shine631]

That is perfect,

[@mackereltacos2850]

I looked up the gold medalist Alex Schwazer and he retired after doping offences.

[@ItsJordanValentine]

this is the sassiest sport i have ever seen

[@pilover314159]

Lone guy crosses finish line - "yeash!" but the whole stadium is quite

[@akodo77]

I would like to see you doing 50km with average of 13+km/h (it's a brisk pace for jogger, doing it walking - madness) - good luck with not dying.

[@fp2231]

I never knew this was a real thing I thought Malcolm in the Middle was making it all up

[@sydandtaytum]

i was thinking the same thing! i'm sure it is a lot harder than it looks tho, cuz when u pick up speed, it's probably really hard not to go into a sprint.

[@FattiHasSkillz]

So intence.

[@BooBooBunny7]

Hips don't lie.

[@afroman5918]

New favorite sport to make fun of

[@Keyboardwarrior97]

yea! speed walking! i love it! whoooooooooooooo this is a rush!!!!!!!!!

[@videogyar2]

And why is that?

[@darbycrash5320]

He was incredible. Alex: why???

[@ahmad80902]

wait, did he say "one of the more grueling events on the olympic calendar" in the beginning!?

[@conorthealien]

You know how the old proverb goes: Don't run before you can race walk...

[@fube89]

Nah man, this is like if doggy paddle was an olympic swimming event. When is the walking backwards race and the cartwheel race?

[@midniteferret]

Speed walking distances is actually really tiring...

[@_Mr.Giraffe]

You have Funnypics?

[@melodope]

LOLOL this is the best thing in the Olympics. Family Guy needs to do an episode with this.

[@LeChosenOne123456]

this clip has my attention.... aaaaaaaand its gone

[@qwertyuiop3491]

Their hips definitely don't lie.

[@WayToTheGrave]

If you run are you dq'd?

[@fallenvash]

Despite the fact that these guys racewalk as fast as you(average person in genera;) can run? Trust me, they look silly but they truly are moving pretty darn fast. I considering getting into race walking, I just couldn't keep up with the pace. Which pretty much humbled me considered how often I would run that stretch of road without a sweat.

[@awesomemoneyman]

But, aren't these also world record breakers? I would think so, since they're in the Olympics....

[@BluBun]

Play Yakety Sax- Music while watching this!

[@Pele10048]

even walking is more exercise than baseball

[@charpsteve36]

Somehow more funny than i imagined it to be.

[@KingMe52]

7 minute mile while walking? I'm impressed.

[@returnofthesexyivan]

I certainly wouldnt wait three and a half hours for them to finish

[@Roibeirt]

The people walking in this race are walking faster for longer than anyone commenting here could run.

[@tomigm1]

press number "2" while watching the video for endless fun!

[@gilmarcleclerc4400]

Their hips must get so fucking sore

[@Benzas12]

Maybe they will make sitting as a olimpic sport?

[@aornelas93]

Why would they walk that long before going to the bathroom?