Introduction to Officiating Race Walk Events

Race Walking has been a discipline within Athletics (Track & Field, Long Distance Running & Race Walking) for more than 100 years. As one of three “separate” disciplines, the race walk may be included in track and field competitions and is also held as long-distance events. Too often the event’s uniqueness has kept officiating to a small number of specialists. People think it is difficult to judge. It is not. This page links to the resources necessary to learn how to be a race walk judge and official. Keep in mind throughout these explanations, that race walking is not running, and it is not normal walking; it is a prescribed technique with different, yet similar and varying aspects of both. Click here to get started.

Understanding the Race Walking Definition and How to Make Calls

Judging the race walk requires comprehension of a definition agreed upon and included within the rules of both the USA Track & Field and World Athletics communities. Judges determine whether a race walker is in adherence to both the loss of contact and bent knee portion of the definition. Click here to learn how to make the proper calls.

Judging Tools

Race walk judges and officials employ special tools to conduct race walking events. Click here to learn how a race walk judge cautions a race walker by showing a yellow paddle, issues a red card as a proposal for disqualification, how the judge keeps track of decisions made during the event, and how a summary sheet is filled out to provide a historical record of all judging decisions made during a race walk event.

Judging Viewing Area

Race walk judges must make decisions about race walkers by viewing a progression of steps within a prescribed viewing area. While walkers at a distance might alert a race walk judge to possible lack of adherence to the definition of race walking, it is within a prescribed viewing area that a judge must observe and decide whether to sanction a walker or not. Click here to learn more.

Management of Race Walk Judging on Tracks vs Roads

Track walks and road walks require a different number of race walk judges. Properly positioning the judges on both will lead to effective management of race walk competitions. Click here to see how judging is applied in both situations.

Filling Out a Tally Sheet

A tally sheet is a judge's record of the yellow paddle and red cards they have given out during the race. See how this works by clicking here.

Filling Out A Summary Sheet

Each judge has a Tally Sheet to keep a record from their perspective, and the Penalty Zone Coordinator keeps a record of activities in the Penalty Zone. The Summary Sheet incorporates all this separate data on one form. The completed Summary Sheet is a historical record of all the official actions of the event. Click here to see how to fill out a Summary Sheet.

How to Set Up and Use the Penalty Zone

Some race walk competitions utilize a penalty zone to give walkers with three red cards a chance to correct their technique to possibly avoid disqualification. See how this works by clicking here.

Practice Exams and Evaluations

Let's test out your knowledge and try out exams and evaluations.

2023 Race Walking Exam

The following 20 videos were given as part of a recent Race Walk Judging Exam. exams and evaluations.