World record holder Yang Jiayu claimed the first athletics gold for China at the Paris Olympics, winning the women's 20km race walk in one hour, 25 minutes and 54 seconds on Thursday.

Yang, who finished 12th at Tokyo 2020, crossed the line with a 25-second advantage over second-placed Maria Perez of Spain. The bronze medal was grabbed by Jemima Montag from Australia.

Yang Jiayu of China celebrates after the women's 20km race walk of athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 1, 2024. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

It is China's fourth Olympic gold medal in women's 20km race walk. Yang's best performance this season also earned China its 11th gold medal in Paris.

"It is an exciting moment for me. I have been waiting for this gold medal for eight years," said 28-year-old Yang after the game.

"I started my Olympic journey as a substitute in 2016," she added. "At that moment, I started to dream of being a regular athlete to compete at this stage even to fight for the gold."

Yang, who has set the world record in 2021 with 1:23:49, led the race almost from the start. She had already established a 34-second advantage after 10 kilometers.

Perez's had narrowed the gap to 15 seconds with two laps to go, but Yang still gritted her teeth to keep the Spaniard at bay. Perez improved on her fourth finish from Tokyo with 1:26:19, six seconds ahead of Australia's Montag.

Yang disclosed she initially planned to follow the group in the first-half, but she changed tactics before the kick-off.

"My coach told me to rise to the occasion, so it's my own decision on the field. I felt really nervous in the last three or four laps when Perez was trying to catch me, but my coach kept telling me to relax, and eventually I held my nerve to win."

Having won the World Championships in 2017, Yang had a disappointing Olympic debut as she just finished 12th at Tokyo three years ago.

"I did have showcased a good form ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but I also felt fatigued after that, maybe at that time I still didn't have the ability. That experience was also a lesson for me," she noted.

Two other Chinese athletes, Ma Zhenxia and Liu Hong, finished 11th and 21st respectively. In her fifth appearance at the Olympics, veteran Liu eventually timed at 1:31:24.

"She is a model for all of us," Yang said. "I will follow her steps and continue the spirit to achieve more for China."