Chandigarh, Jan 31 (PTI) Punjab’s international race walker, Manju Rani enjoyed a good run in the National Open Race Walk Championships here on Wednesday, winning the gold medal in the senior women’s 10km competition.
A day after winning gold in the women’s 20km event, she dominated the senior women’s 10km race to brighten her prospects of competing in the inaugural marathon race walking mixed relay that will feature at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Manju’s gold medal winning time in 10km was 45:20.00s. The promising Punjab race walker had paired with Ram Babu to win bronze in the 35km mixed relay race walking team event at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
Manju was elated to have won back-to-back gold medals at the national competition.
“My main focus will be the mixed relay event this year and I hope to represent India at the Olympic Games,” Manju said.
The senior 10km race walk was included in the programme by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to select potential athletes for the national team that will compete at the April 20-21 World Athletics Race Walk Team Championships to be held in Antalya, Turkey.
During the Turkey competition, the world’s top 22 teams will get automatic qualification for the Olympic Games. The final selection of the national team for Turkey will be done in March.
In the men’s 10km event, Sahil of Punjab outclassed more experienced athletes to claim gold.
Patiala’s Sahil, 22, clocked 39:25.00s. He had finished fifth in the men’s 20km race walk on Tuesday.
Paramjeet Singh Bisht of Uttarakhand was second with a time of 39:36.00s, while Asian bronze medallist Vikash Singh of Delhi was third clocking 39:47.00s.
Goa’s Vijay Omkar Vishwakaram won the men’s 35km race with a time of 2:39:19.00s, while the women’s 35km gold went to Bandana Patel of Uttar Pradesh, whose gold-medal winning time was 3:11:06.00s. PTI AH AH SSC SSC
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