By Sundeep Misra, OCA Media
Nagoya, Japan, September 27, 2026: The women’s marathon race walking was all about endurance, emotion and tactical brilliance.
Transitioning seamlessly from a 20km specialist to a marathon debutant, Kazakhstan’s Yasmina Toxanbayeva captured the 9th gold medal for her nation’s delegation with a stirring winning time of 3:22:20. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of her achievement, Toxanbayeva broke down in tears of joy immediately after crossing the finish line, capping off a remarkable victory over the gruelling distance.
Behind the triumphant Kazakh champion, a fierce battle for the remaining podium spots unfolded. China’s Danzengquzong showcased exceptional tactical discipline to secure the silver medal in 3:26:09. Her performance was all the more impressive as it marked a significant improvement on her previous personal best of 3:27:13, which she had set earlier while finishing second at the Chinese National Race Walking meeting. Danzengquzong’s grit on the Nagoya course thoroughly justified her buildup to the Games.
Rounding out the podium with the bronze medal was fellow Chinese competitor Ma Li, who crossed the finish line in 3:32:26. Ma maintained a steady, resilient pace throughout the course to fend off late pressure and secure a hard-earned third-place finish for China.
The race not only highlighted the incredible depth of talent across Asia but also gave us one of the most emotional and memorable debut stories of the Asian Games.