Russia's Sokolova sets women's 20km world record

Vera Sokolova broke the world record in the women's 20km walk on Saturday, taking over half a minute off the old mark set by fellow Russian Olimpiada Ivanova in 2005.

Vera Sokolova broke the world record in the women's 20km walk on Saturday, taking over half a minute off the old mark set by fellow Russian Olimpiada Ivanova in 2005.

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The 23 year old clocked one hour 25 minutes 8 seconds at the Russian national championships in the Black Sea resort Sochi, bettering Ivanova's time of 1:25:41, set in Helsinki in 2005.

Sokolova, who finished third at last year's European championships in Barcelona, behind two compatriots Olga Kaniskina and Anisya Kirdyapkina, was able to beat Kirdyapkina by a second this time round, the Russian athletics federation said on its website (www.rusathletics.ru).

World, Olympic and European champion Kaniskina did not take part in the Sochi event, preparing to defend her title at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea in August this year.