LONDON (AP) — Chen Ding of China won Olympic gold in the men’s 20-kilometer walk Saturday, finishing 11 seconds ahead of Erick Barrondo of Guatemala.
Chen took the lead at the 18-kilometer mark and pulled away from the pack shortly after to win the race in 1 hour, 18 minutes, 45 seconds. Barrondo took silver and Wang Zhen of China claimed bronze.
Defending champion Valeriy Borchin of Russia collapsed after the 19-kilometer mark and could not finish the race. He was put on a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
Borchin won gold at the world championships in South Korea last year. His Russian teammate who took silver at the worlds, Vladimir Kanaykin, was disqualified with two kilometers to go.
