GUWAHATI: In a proud moment for India, Priyanka Goswami has achieved an incredible feat by securing her berth in the prestigious Olympic Games, scheduled to be held in Paris in July and August later this year.
The talismatic athlete sealed her spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics by finishing a disappointing 18th in the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships held in Antalya, Turkiye on Sunday.
However, it was enough for Priyanka to qualify for the showpiece event slated to be hosted by the French Capital.
Priyanka Goswami and her partner Akshdeep Singh clocked a timing of 3:05:03 to finish inside the top 20 while Munita Prajapati and Paramjeet Singh, the other Indian pair competing in World Championships in Antalya, finished 35th with a timing of 3:09:58.
It is to be noted that the marathon mixed relay event happens to be a new race-walking category that is set to make its debut at the forthcoming sporting extravaganza in Paris.
The event involves a pair of race walkers — one male athlete and one female — covering the full marathon distance of 42.195 km.
The male athlete covers the initial 12.195 km of the race, with the remaining 30 km divided into three legs comprising 10 km each, the first of which is covered by the female race-walker and then alternated between the two teammates.
Moreover, the Indian duo of Akshdeep and Priyanka have also managed to secure Olympic quota in the men’s and women’s 20 km racewalk events respectively.
However, Akshdeep is one of seven Indians who have qualified for the men’s 20 km racewalk event, with Olympic rules allowing a maximum of three athletes per event per gender.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will take the final call on the three athletes that ultimately get to represent the nation in that event.
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