Kaniskina wins 20km walk after farcical start

Osaka (Japan) Aug 31: Russia's Olga Kaniskina easily won gold in the women's 20 kilometres walk at the world championships after a farcical start to the race today.

The pace-setters attempted to leave Osaka's Nagai stadium track for the road a lap early and had to be chased back in by red-faced officials, briefly costing them their lead.

Russia's defending world champion Olimpiada Ivanova failed even to make it outside the stadium before pulling out with a leg injury she picked up while skiing earlier this year.

Kaniskina was left to scurry away all alone after breaking from the pack following the confusion at the start, the European silver medallist winning in one hour, 30 minutes and nine seconds.

Fellow Russian Tatyana Shemyakina took silver in 1:30.42 in overcast conditions that were more forgiving than the brutal heat the men had to cope with in last weekend's 20km walk.

Spain's Maria Vasco matched her bronze at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, coming home in 1:30.47. Norway's Kjersti Plaetzer, who posted this year's best time of 1:27.41, was fourth in 1:31.24.

''It was a bit weird at the start because there was a man waving a white flag at me so I thought I could go out,'' Kaniskina told reporters.

''I went out and a women waved me back and a couple of others back inside. The white flags kept going up and down, I didn't a clue if I was on lap three or four.'' Kaniskina added: ''I'm not surprised I won. Some people may think Ivanova is the best but I've been improving steadily. This is for my family watching back home on TV.'' World record holder Ivanova took her early exit on the chin.

''I had a skiing accident about six months ago and hurt my right hamstring,'' winced the 37-year-old. ''I thought it would be okay but I felt pain so I had to stop.'' Australia's Jane Saville, who was famously disqualified within sight of the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, suffered the same fate again.

Reuters>