Five new champions were crowned on the first day of competition at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday as Ryan Crouser returned from injury to retain his shot put gold while Team USA’s mixed 4x400m relay team topped the podium with a dominant race.
Evan Dunfee and Maria Perez dominated late to win the men’s and women’s race walk and Beatrice Chebet surged on the last lap of the women’s 10,000m to lock in the victory.
Crouser Wins The Men’s Shot Put Title
Team USA’sRyan Crouser put his own spin on “one and done” on Saturday at Day 1 of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo as he clinched the men’s shot put title after clearing 22.34m on his second attempt.
Crouser has missed all of 2025 with a persistent elbow injury but returned to worlds as the defending champion and leaves the competition as one of three men to win three world titles in the shot put.
Pérez Wins the Women’s 35km Race Walk Championship
Spain’s María Pérez dominated the women’s 35km race walk and took a statement win in 2:39:01.
Pérez battled with the rest of the women’s field in muggy conditions on Saturday morning in Tokyo but surged as the race left National Stadium and onto the streets for the bulk to the competition.
Italy’s Antonella Palmisano was second in 2:42:24 and Ecuador’s Paula Milena Torres finished third in 2:42:44.
Dunfee Wins the Men’s 35km Race Walk Championship
Canada’s Evan Dunfee made a late surge in grueling humidity to win the men’s 35km race walk in 2:28:22 to bring a commanding start to the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Saturday morning.
Brazil’s Caio Bonfim finished second in 2:28:55 and Japan’s Hayato Katsuki took third in 2:29:16.
Chebet Bolts to the Women’s 10,000m title
Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet knew the right moment to start her kick and the final lap proved to be a dramatic showdown as defending champion Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay began to surge as the bell sounded.
But Chebet looked composed and pushed past Tsegay to take the win in 30:37.61.
Nadia Battocletti finished second in in an Italian record of 30:38.23, while Tsegay got the bronze in 30:39.65.
