Liang Rui Explained

Liang Rui (Chinese: 梁瑞; born 18 June 1994) is a female Chinese racewalking athlete who competes in the 20 kilometres and 50 kilometres race walk. She was the world record holder for the 50 km walk event and was a gold medalist at the 2018 IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships.^{[2] [3]} In 2019 her record was beaten^[4] by Hong Liu with a time of 3:59:15.^[5] In the same year, she finished outside the top ten in the IAAF Challenge races in Taicang and La Coruña, and was seventh in a national 50 km meeting.

Liang competed nationally as a youth and placed third at the Chinese Universities Championships over 5000 m and 10,000 m distances in 2014.^[6] She had her breakthrough at senior level in 2016 with a victory over the 20 km walk at the Asian Race Walking Championships, seeing off challenges from Kumiko Okada and Lee Jeong-eun. Her winning margin was over one minute and 1:28:43 hours was a lifetime best for the distance.^[7] She competed in Chinese races only in the 2017 season, with highlights including a fourth place finish at the Taicang leg of the IAAF Race Walking Challenge.^[6]

She made her debut over 50 km at the 2018 IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships and it proved to be a highly successful move as she won the gold medal in a world record time of 4:04:36 hours, taking over one minute off the previous record set by Inês Henriques. This made her the inaugural 50 km champion in the newly-recognised women's event, and she led the Chinese team of Yin Hang and Ma Faying to the first team championship also.^{[8] [9]} Later that year she won the 50 km title at the Chinese Autumn Race Walking Championships.^[6]

International competitions

2016	Asian Race Walking Championships	Nomi, Japan	bgcolor=gold	1st	20 km walk	1:28:43
2018	World Race Walking Team Championships	Taicang, China	bgcolor=gold	1st	50 km walk	4:04:36
			bgcolor=gold	1st	Team	8 pts

National titles

Chinese Autumn Race Walking Championships

• 50 km walk: 2018

Notes and References

1. http://news.lyd.com.cn/system/2016/03/23/010595595.shtml 运动员梁瑞“走”出洛阳首个竞走亚洲冠军
2. Web site: Rui LIANG Profile iaaf.org. www.iaaf.org. 2 July 2019.
3. Web site: Marcia dal Mondo – Dettaglio News – 07/05/2018 – Taicang (CHN): Vittorie of Zhang Jun and Lu Xiuzhi in Chinese Grand Prix. www.marciadalmondo.com. en-EN. 2 July 2019.
4. Web site: Olympic champion Liu breaks 50km race walk world record: IAAF. CNA. en. 2 July 2019.
5. Web site: Early-Year Walk Review. T&fn. 17 March 2019. Track & Field News. en-US. 2 July 2019.
6. https://www.iaaf.org/athletes/pr-of-china/rui-liang-268340 Rui Liang
7. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/athletics/Gurmeet-Singh-becomes-first-Indian-to-win-Asian-20km-Race-Walk-Championships/articleshow/51482752.cms Gurmeet Singh becomes first Indian to win Asian 20km Race Walk Championships
8. https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/2144812/liang-rui-china-smashes-womens-50km-racewalk-world-record-her-first China’s Liang Rui smashes women’s 50km racewalk world record – at her first attempt
9. Mulkeen, Jon (5 May 2018). Liang breaks world 50km race walk record at IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships Taicang 2018. IAAF. Retrieved 2019-06-30.