Paris 2024: How will mixed team walking, a new event on the Olympic calendar, work?

This will be one of the sports innovations of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. But what then? This is a new format invented by the International Athletics Federation and approved by the Olympic Committee (IOC) to give a little “dynamism” to a long and sometimes indigestible event. “It’s innovative, dynamic and unpredictable,” said World Athletics CEO John Ridgeon. This is thought to be easy for fans to understand, and for the first time will ensure full gender equality in the athletics program of the Olympic Games. »

Each team – there will be 25 at the start – consists of a man and a woman who will take turns covering the 42.195 kilometers of the competition, the marathon distance. The man starts first and covers a little more than 10 kilometers, giving way to his compatriot, and so on … Therefore, it is the athletes who will cross the finish line in the race for a medal. This race should last approximately 3 hours and will take place at the same location as the individual walking races, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on August 7, 2024 at 7:30.