Asian Games: Indian race-walkers fail to secure medals in 20 km event

In the men's 20 km race walk, Vikash finished fifth out of 11 athletes with a timing of 1:27:33 while Sandeep was disqualified

Hangzhou: India’s athletics campaign at the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou was off to a disappointing start as athletes Vikash Singh and Sandeep Kumar and Commonwealth Games medalist Priyanka Goswami failed to clinch podium positions in the final of men’s and women’s 20 km race walk on Friday.

In the men’s 20 km race walk, Vikash finished fifth out of 11 athletes with a timing of 1:27:33 while Sandeep was disqualified. The gold and silver medals went to China while Japan secured the bronze medal.

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In the women’s 20 km race walk event, Priyanka earned a fifth-place finish with timings of 1:43:07. The gold medal went to China, and so did the silver medal. Once again, Japan got the bronze medal.

World champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and steeplechase racer Avinash Sable are among the top Indian athletics names competing in 37 events at the Hangzhou meet. Athletics event started on September 29 and will go on till October 5. These track and field events are being held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.

Athletics has been the best discipline for India at the Asian Games, giving the country a total of 254 medals – 79 gold, 88 silver and 87 bronze.