Aussie Jemima Montag wins bronze medal in 20km walk - ESPN

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Australian Jemima Montag has surged home to claim the bronze medal in the women's 20km walk at the Paris Olympics.

Chinese world record holder Yang Jiayu took the gold medal in dominant style, breaking away on her own early in the race on a hot, steamy morning in Paris.

Yang was never headed, clocking a winning time of one hour 25 minutes 54 seconds.

Spaniard Maria Perez was second in 1:26:19 and the fast-finishing Montag broke her own national record with 1:26:25 for bronze.

The only other Australian women's walker to secure a podium finish at Olympic level was Jane Saville, who was third in the same event at the 2004 Athens Games.

A noted big-event performer, the 26-year-old Montag was second at last year's world championships and claimed gold at the previous two Commonwealth Games.

Earlier on Thursday, Brian Pintado from Ecuador won the first athletics title of the Paris Olympics, surging away in the final stages to claim gold in the men's 20km walk.

Pintado clocked a winning time of 1:18:55, with the minor medals going to Caio Bonfim from Brazil (1:19:09) and Spaniard Alvaro Martin (1:19:11).

Australian Declan Tingay was with the lead group through the first 15km and hung tough to finish 11th in 1:19:56, one spot ahead of countryman Rhydian Cowley.

The third Australian, Kyle Swan, was 35th.

The walks were contested on a scenic 1km loop course going past the Eiffel Tower and finishing at the Trocadero.

Both races were delayed by half an hour due to overnight thunderstorms.

Montag, Rebecca Henderson, Tingay and Cowley will be backing up on Wednesday when the mixed marathon race walk relay is contested for the first time at Olympic level.