Race walkers Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht qualify for 2024 Olympics and 2023 World C’ships in 20km event

The qualifying mark for both the 2024 Paris Olympics and 2023 World Athletics Championships in August in Budapest, Hungary is 1:20:10, which the two Indians breached by a small margin.

Akshdeep Singh, who has already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics as well as 2023 World Athletics Championships by winning the National Championships last month, clinched gold in the official entry category, clocking 1:20:57, and finished fifth overall.

As per the competition rules, a country can send athletes in the open categories — besides the official entry — for the purpose of giving exposure to them but their performance will not be counted as official.

India had sent four men and three women race walkers in the open category, besides the two official entries — one man and one woman — in the continental event.

Suraj Panwar and Hardeep, the two other Indians in the open category, clocked 1:22:31 and 1:25:38 respectively.

Priyanka Goswami, who has also already qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics as well as 2023 World Athletics Championships by winning the National Championships last month, clinched bronze in the women’s official entry category, clocking 1:32:27, and finished fourth overall. Munita Ptajapati and Bhawna Jat missed the Olympics and World Championships qualifying mark of 1:29:20 by a big margin, clocking 1:33:22 and 1:36:20 respectively in the open category.

The third Indian woman in the open category, Sonal Sukhwal did not start the race.

India now has four race walkers who have qualified for the 2024 Olympics as well as World Championships.