Indian Athletics – National Race Walking Championships – National Race Walking Championships (day-2) – Easy wins for Khushbir and Sandeep

Patiala, 15 February 2013 – National record-holder Khushbir Kaur made it easy when taking the inaugural race walking national title over 20 km at Netaji Subhas National

Institute of Sports premises here on Friday. The 19-year-old Punjab woman, representing ONGC this time, had earlier set her national mark of 1:37:28 at the same field last year during the Federation Cup.   Khushbir could not realize her ambition to improve the above mark today as there was no one to push her. 

However she clocked a season best 1:38:52, more than four minutes faster than second-placed Gaurav Kumari of Madhya Pradesh (1:43:16).  Former national champion Deepmala Devi (Railways) came third in 1:43:55.

In the grueling 50 km walk for men, Haryana’s Sandeep Kumar clocked a personal best 4:02:19.  Sandeep’s previous best had been a national record 4:03:45 which he registered while finished 36th during the Race Walking World Cup at Saransk (Russia) last year. 

Manipur’s S. Damen Singh was almost 10 minutes behind Sandeep for the silver medal (4:12:17) while the bronze went to Manish Singh from Uttarakhand in a time of 4:13:55.

/ AFI /

Indian Athletics – News