China's defending champion Liu Hong clinched a bronze medal in the women's 20km race walk at the Tokyo Olympic Games on Friday, clocking 1:29:57.

Liu, 34, is the first female race walker to win three Olympic medals, following her gold at Rio 2016 and bronze in London in 2012. 

Antonella Palmisano of Italy won her maiden international title, while China's Qieyang Shenjie ranked seventh and world record holder Yang Jiayu finished 12th as she received a two-minute penalty at the 18km mark.

Palmisano, 29, was in a competition of her own in the closing kilometers, clocking one hour 29 minutes and 12 seconds for the gold. 

Meanwhile, Sandra Lorena Arenas became the third Colombian woman to win an Olympic medal in athletics with a silver, 25 seconds behind Palmisano. 

(With input from Xinhua)