By Lori Ewing
PARIS (Reuters) -Spain's two-times world champions Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez took the gold medal in the mixed marathon race walk relay by nearly a minute at the Paris Games on Wednesday as the event made its Olympic debut.
The Spaniards, who each collected gold in both the 20km and 35km races at last year's worlds in Budapest, finished in two hours, 50 minutes and 31 seconds, with Perez pulling away over the final lap.
Brian Pintado and Glenda Morejon of Ecuador took silver in 2:51.22, while Australia's Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag claimed bronze (2:51:38).
Spain and Ecuador led virtually from the off, initially as part of a group of eight that had become two by the final leg.
Just three seconds separated the two teams when Martin and Perez smacked hands for the exchange.
Perez found another gear over the final leg, and then a kilometre from the finish line, she ditched her sunglasses, smiled and high-fived flag-waving Spanish fans who created a thunderous celebration by banging on cardboard course dividers.
Ecuador held on for silver, the country's seventh all-time Olympic medal, despite a nervy last leg for Moreno.
Pintado had picked up two red cards -- shown when a walker has either lost significant contact with the ground or a knee is bent when the foot strikes the ground.
A third red would have meat Morejon would have had to pull in to serve a three-minute suspension.
That fate befell Chinese pair Zhang Jun and Yang Jiayu, winner of the women's 20km earlier in the Games, when Zhang was flagged with a disastrous third red card.
The relay, which replaced the men's 50km, saw two athletes per team -- one male, one female -- each complete two legs that looped back and forth at the base of the Eiffel Tower to total the traditional 42.195 km marathon distance.
The new event posed a unique challenge with athletes having to stay fresh during their 40 or so minutes between legs.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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