Ecuador's Bonilla Sets New Race-Walking Record, Wins Gold

Ecuador's Magaly Bonilla has set a new race walking record in the South American Championship March in Sucua, winning a gold medal on home turf during the weekend's event.

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With 50 kilometers of track stretching before them, over 100 athletes gathered from Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Costa Rica.

Bonilla completed the 50km march in record time: 4 hours 38 minutes and 48 seconds, shattering the 2017 record set by Brazil's Nair da Rosa.

"The new record was one of my goals, so I am motivated to have achieved it and what better place to do that than here in Ecuador," Bonilla said.

Following close behind was Bonilla's teammate Johana Ordoňez, who took silver just ten minutes later. Bronze went to last year's winner, Da Rosa.

"It was a very successful day for the Ecuadorean march," said Manuel Bravo, president of the Sports Federation of Azuay. 

"In addition to the first places, a new South American record was achieved by Magaly Bonilla. We hope that it is certified because, if so, that would allow (Ecuador) to be among the top five in the world."

For the men's segment, Ecuador placed again: David Valasquez took silver with 4 hours, 7 minutes and 47 seconds, and Darwin Leon won bronze with 4:13:12.

Additional wins were achieved in the 10km and the 20km marches by Ecuador's Andres Chocho, Jose Mauricio Arteaga, Jonathan Amores, Paola Perez and Daniel Pintado.