Russia's golden walkers earn 1-2 finish in 20K

Russia's Elena Lashmanova crosses the finish line to win the women's 20 kilometer race walk final at the World Athletics Championships in the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013.ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS — AP Photo

By RAF CASERT — AP Sports Writer

MOSCOW — Nobody walks quite like the Russians.

After the host nation won the men's 20-kilometer walk at the world championships, Elena Lashmanova and Anisya Kirdyapkina clinched a 1-2 finish in the women's event on Tuesday.

Lashmanova, the Olympic champion in London, held off Kirdyapkina with a final burst after she momentarily had stopped walking with one lap to go, thinking she had already won.

It could have been a sweep, but Vera Sokolova was disqualified with about 500 meters to go, leaving Liu Hong of China to take bronze.

If Jamaica has the fastest sprinters, the host nation used its walkers to move up the medal standings into second place with five overall and two gold, right behind the United States with six.