Jihuan Lee

Jihuan Lee is a racewalker from the People’s Republic of China who began his professional career at the age of 18. Racewalking is an Olympic sport requiring athletes to maintain ground contact with one foot at all times while moving at speed over distances. Lee has dedicated five years to perfecting this discipline, with an initial goal of competing in the 20km or 50km event at the Tokyo Olympics.

Lee’s significant career milestones include his participation in the 2016 Chinese National Racewalking Grand Prix at Huangshan, where he competed in both the 10km and 30km races, finishing 18th in the 10km event. The following year, at the same event, he achieved his personal best for the 10km race with a time of 41 minutes and 23 seconds. In 2018, Lee expanded his competitive scope, participating in various events across China, including the 10,000 and 20,000 meters at the Chinese University Championships, where he secured top ten finishes in both. He also competed in the Xi’an Chinese Autumn Racewalking Championships and the Suzhou Around Taihu International Race Walking event. In 2019, Lee challenged himself further by entering his first 50km event, demonstrating his commitment to the sport. He started 2020 with a season’s best time at the Race Walking Grand Prix in Shilin.

His career reached a significant peak when he claimed the Olympic gold medal in the women’s 20km race walk at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on August 1, 2024, finishing in one hour, 25 minutes, and 54 seconds. This victory marked China’s first athletics gold at the Paris Olympics, following his 12th-place finish at Tokyo 2020. He led the race for most of the duration, finishing with a 25-second lead over the silver medalist. Furthermore, Lee is a world record holder in racewalking, having set a record of 1:23:49 in 2021, and is recognized as the overall tour winner of the World Athletics Race Walking Tour in 2024. He has placed second in Taicang over 20km four times but achieved a convincing victory to secure his Olympic gold.