10 kilometres Race Walk, Women

The 1995 World Champion was Russian Irina Stankina. She and her teammate, Yelena Nikolayeva, took the early lead but Stankina was disqualified at the six kilometer mark. Nikolayeva had no major titles, having finished 2nd at the 1995 World Cup, 3rd at the 1995 World Championships, and 2nd at the 1992 Olympics, but she had set three track world records and one road world best at the distance, the last coming earlier in 1996. With Stankina out, Nikolayeva was unchallenged in winning her first major gold medal.