Race walkers eye World Championships qualification standards at Nationals

ATHLETICS | Over 200 walkers, including many national record-holders will be in action in the two-day event

The World Championship qualification standards will be the big target as the two-day National race walking championships begin at the Morabadi Road, Ranchi, on Tuesday.

And some of the country’s top walkers, including six national record holders, will be in action. The event will feature more than 200 walkers, including 56 women.

National record holders Ram Baboo (35km), Sandeep Kumar (20km) and Amit Khatri (under-20 10km record holder, he will be doing the 20km race) in the men’s section and Ramandeep Kaur (35km), Priyanka Goswami (20km) and Reshma Patel (under-20 10km record holder who will be running the 20km) in women’s will be some of the names to watch.\

The World Championships will be held in Budapest from August 19 to 27 this year and the qualification standards for men’s 20km and 35km are 1:20.10s and 2:29.40s respectively. For women, the standards are 1:29.20s (20km) and 2:51.30s (35km).