World Race Walking Team C’ship: Priyanka-Akshdeep pair aims for good show

Ace Indian athlete Priyanka Goswami will aim to produce another commendable performance and secure a Paris Olympics berth in the Mixed event partnering Akshdeep Singh, when the one-day World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships takes place in this Mediterranean seaside town on Sunday.

Both Akshdeep and Priyanka have already qualified individually for Paris 2024 after meeting the qualifying standards in the men’s and women’s 20km race walk, and securing a mixed team spot at the Olympics will be the icing on the cake for them.

The Athletic Federation of India (AFI) has announced a 14-strong squad for Race Walking Team Championships and, with less than three months to go for the quadrennial showpiece, it will be an opportunity for others as well to earn their Paris spots.

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Priyanka, the national record holder and silver medallist in 10,000m walk at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, has come up with some creditable performances of late.

She finished a commendable seventh in the 20km event at the Chinese Race Walking Grand Prix last month, and her performance here will give a fair idea about her preparations going into Paris.

The 28-year-old from Muzaffarnagar, UP, will be competing in the Mixed event, which has been included in the Olympic programme for the first time and athletes have to cover the full marathon distance of 42.195km.

The other Indian pair in the Mixed event is Munita Prajapati and Paramjeet Singh.

The top 22 teams in the mixed category, which will be held in the relay format, stand to qualify for Paris.

As per the format, initial distance of 12.195km has to be covered by male athlete, while the next 10km will be done by the woman athlete. The next 20km will be shared equally, with the female athlete doing the final 10km till the finish line.

Besides, the Indian race walkers will also compete in the men’s and women’s 20km race walk.

Last month, Ram Baboo achieved the Paris Olympics men’s 20km race qualification standard, clocking a personal best time of 1:20:00 on way to bronze at the Dudinska 50 Meet in Slovakia.

The Hangzhou Asian Games Mixed 35km race walk bronze medallist will test his Paris preparations in the men’s 20km Race Walk event here.

Team:

Men (20km Race Walk): Ram Baboo, Suraj Panwar, Servin Sebastian, Arshpreet Singh, Vikash Singh.

Women (20km Race Walk): Ramandeep Kaur, Mokavi Muthurathinam, Payal, Pooja Kumawat, Manju Rani.

Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay: Paramjeet Singh Bisht/Munita Prajapati; Akshdeep Singh/Priyanka Goswami.