India’s promising race walkers — Punjab’s 24 years outdated Akshdeep Singh and 23 years outdated Suraj Panwar from Uttarakhand battled for supremacy within the eleventh version of the Indian Open Race Strolling competitors right here on Tuesday. Enroute to breaching the nationwide males’s 20km file, each the athletes bettered the Paris Olympic Video games qualification time of 1:20:10.
In truth conducive climate circumstances presently of the yr in Chandigarh enabled prime 4 athletes within the males’s 20km race stroll to raised the Olympic Video games qualification time. Initially, photo-finish outcomes indicated the highest two athletes have been inside the Olympic Video games qualification time. Later as per chip timings 4 athletes have been inside the Paris Video games qualification customary.
Day’s honour nevertheless went to Askdeep Singh who crossed the end line at 1:19:38 to win back-to-back nationwide titles. His gold medal profitable time was an enchancment of his earlier nationwide file of 1:19:55 clocked final yr at Indian Open Race Strolling competitors held in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
Suraj Panwar’s Tuesday efficiency of 1:19:44.00 gave him an opportunity to affix the group of Olympic qualifiers together with Akshdeep Singh. Paramjeet Singh Bisht and Vikash Singh have been profitable in attaining the Paris Olympic Video games qualification time in 2023. On Tuesday, each Paramjeet Singh Bisht and Vikash Singh completed within the prime ten.
Servin of Tamil Nadu completed third (1:20:03.00) within the males’s 20km, whereas Arshpreet Singh of Punjab fourth (1:20:04.00). Each the athletes have additionally bettered the Olympic Video games qualification mark in Chandigarh.
Solely three athletes shall be eligible to signify India on the 2024 Paris Olympic Video games, as per World Athletics qualification pointers, Radhakrishnan Nair, chief athletics coach stated. The ultimate choice will happen later in June.
Akshdeep Singh was assured of sustaining his efforts in coming weeks to cement his place within the nationwide crew. “Should work sensible to avoid accidents and maintain my efficiency in coming weeks,” the 24 years outdated stated in post-race interplay.
Suraj Panwar, who had agonisingly missed the Olympic Video games qualification mark final yr in Ranchi and have needed to battle accidents within the final 10 months, was elated to bounce again into competition for the Olympic Video games berth. “It was an incredible day for me to have damaged the one hour 20 minutes barrier within the 20km race stroll in the present day in Chandigarh,” Suraj Panwar added. “My job within the coming days shall be to remain wholesome and keep my health.”
Within the girls’s 20km race stroll, Punjab’s Manju Rani was comfortable to have received gold in her first race over the 20km. “It was an excellent day for me. I’m comfortable to have clocked a 1:33:00.00 within the season opening race to win gold,” Manju Rani stated who switched to a shorter distance of 35km.
Olympian and nationwide file holder, Priyanka Goswami has already certified for the Paris Olympic Video games in 2023 season. She skipped the Chandigarh competitors as she was practising in Australia.
Competitors in U20 girls and boys was additionally performed.
Outcomes: Males 20km: Akshdeep Singh (Punjab) 1:19:38, Suraj Panwar (Uttarakhand) 1:19:44.00, Servin (Tamil Nadu) 1:20:03.00. Arshpreet Singh (Punjab) 1:20:04.00
Ladies: 20km: Manju Rani (Punjab) 1:33:00.00, Payal (Uttarakhand) 1:33:28.00, Munita Prajapati (Uttarakhand) 1:34.14.00
Women: U20: 10km: Aarti (Haryana) 47:03.00 NR (49:01.00 Mansi Negi in 2021), Vaishnavi Negi (Uttarakhand) 49:31.00, Chakpram Naocha C (Manipur) 51:21.00.
Boys: U20: 10km: Himanshu Kumar (Uttarakhand) 41:11.00, Aditya Negi (Uttarakhand) 41:12.00, Roshan Kumar (Jharkhand) 41:28.00.