The marathon race walk mixed relay will make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024, World Athletics announced on Saturday, with the qualification method to be unveiled shortly.

The new event will replace the men's 50km race walk which was first introduced at the Los Angeles Games in 1932, and join skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and breakdancing as new events at the Games.

Twenty-five teams, each with one male and one female who will alternate to finish a standard marathon distance of 42.195km, will compete on the same course as the individual 20km race walking events, a one-kilometer loop at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in central Paris.

"This format is designed to be innovative, dynamic and unpredictable. We believe it will be easily understood by fans, will feature exciting competition and, importantly, it will ensure full gender equality across the Olympic track and field program for the first time," said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon.

The adjustment makes the 48-event athletic program perfectly gender-balanced at Paris 2024, consisting of 23 for both men and women, and now two mixed events – the 4x400m and marathon race walk.

(With input from Xinhua)