Russian Borchin wins men's 20km walk gold

2008-08-16 02:40:13 GMT2008-08-16 10:40:13 (Beijing Time) Xinhua English

Russian Valeriy Borchin clocked 1:19:01 to win the men's 20km walk gold medal at the Olympic Games on Saturday.(Xinhua/Guo Dayue)

Players compete in men's 20km walk outside of the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, during Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 16, 2008. (Xinhua/Guo Yong)

Athletes compete in men's 20km walk during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Aug. 16, 2008. Valeriy Borchin of Russia (L1) claimed the title of the event with a time of 1 hour 19 minutes 01 second.(Xinhua/Guo Yong)

BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Russian Valeriy Borchin got the men's 20km race walk gold medal at the Beijing Olympics here on Saturday.

His archrival in most of the race Jefferson Perez won the first medal for Ecuador with only a slight disadvantage against Borchin. The 34-year-old Ecuadorian went faint as being interviewed after the race. He was sent by an ambulance to the Olympic medical facilities.

Borchin clocked 1 hour 19 minutes 1 second. World champion Perez finished 1:19.15, followed by Jared Tallent of Australia, with a result of 1:19.42.

"I was so happy to win the Olympic gold," 21-year-old Borchin said.

"The humidity today is very bad, but I got accustomed to it," Borchin said.

Speaking of Perez, Borchin said, "He was badly exhausted."

Chinese walker Wang Hao won himself the 19th birthday gift in the national stadium by finishing the fourth in the Olympic Games.

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