The Men's 20 kilometres walk event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held on August 28 on a loop course starting and finishing at Gukchae - bosang Memorial Park in the center of Daegu. Forty-six men started the competition and 27 countries were represented.
Valeriy Borchin entered as the reigning world and 2008 Olympic champion. The athletes on the Chinese and Russian teams led the rankings that year: Wang Zhen and Chu Yafei were the top two, while Borchin, world record holder Vladimir Kanaykin, and Sergey Morozov were in the top six. Wang Hao, Eder Sánchez and Jared Tallent had also performed well that year, as had Kim Hyun-sub representing the host nation.
Italian Giorgio Rubino and Japan's Yusuke Suzuki were the early leaders after 5 km. The two remained half a minute ahead at 10 km, but Rubino fell off the pace and was later disqualified for lifting both feet off the ground. Borchin and Wang Zhen made up ground on Suzuki and after 15 km Borchin progressively pulled away to win the race and defend his title. In the last 5 km Vladimir Kanaykin and Luis Fernando López finished quickly (some half a minute behind the winner) and came away with the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Wang Zhen held on for fourth and it was Stanislav Emelyanov and Kim Hyun-sub who next crossed the line.
Borchin became only the third walker to win consecutive 20 km world titles, joining Maurizio Damilano and Jefferson Pérez. Although his winning time was not especially quick, the race was undertaken in hot and humid conditions. López's gold was Colombia's first ever medal in the history of the World Championships in Athletics.