Kazakh race walker stripped of Asian Games gold over shoes

NAGOYA: Kazakhstan’s Yasmina Toxanbayeva has been stripped of her Asian Games gold medal after being disqualified from the women’s marathon event for wearing shoes that were not approved by World Athletics.

Toxanbayeva had appeared to deliver a dominant performance on Sunday, crossing the finish line first in 3 hours, 22 minutes and 20 seconds. She finished almost four minutes ahead of China’s Danzengquzong, who initially took silver.

However, the result remained provisional after a protest was lodged over Toxanbayeva’s footwear.

A technical official said athletes are required to compete only in shoes approved and listed on the World Athletics platform. According to the official, Toxanbayeva’s shoes did not meet that requirement, prompting officials to contact the global governing body.

“Cancelling the gold was their decision, which we conveyed to the athlete,” the official said, adding that Toxanbayeva had the right to appeal to the jury and had exercised that option.

The disqualification dramatically changed the medal standings after what had initially been a commanding victory for the Kazakh athlete.

Danzengquzong was subsequently upgraded from silver to gold, while her Chinese teammate Ma Li moved into second place to claim the silver medal.

Japan’s Yukiko Umeno was awarded the bronze, completing the revised podium.

Toxanbayeva confirmed the annulment of her gold medal in a social media post, thanking those who supported her throughout the competition.

“We fought until the end,” she wrote, expressing gratitude to her supporters who had stood by her.

The decision highlights the strict equipment regulations governing international athletics competitions. Athletes are required to ensure that their competition footwear complies with the specifications and approval lists established by World Athletics.

For Toxanbayeva, the ruling turned what had appeared to be a memorable Asian Games triumph into a disappointing controversy.

Her appeal could still determine whether the revised medal standings remain unchanged, but for now, China’s Danzengquzong has officially inherited the gold medal, while Japan’s Umeno moves onto the podium with bronze.

The unusual outcome has added another dramatic twist to the athletics programme at the Asian Games in Nagoya.