Olympic qualifiers from today

Chandigarh, January 29

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will organise the Olympic-qualifying contest, the 11th South Asian and Indian Open Race Walking Competition, at Sukhna Lake on January 30 and 31. It will be a platform for athletes to cement their place in the national squad for the Paris Olympics. The AFI will also select the national team for the inaugural marathon-race walking mixed relay. The four-leg event comprises one male and one female athlete. Athletes will cover approximately 10 km in each leg. The top 22 teams will get automatic qualification during the World Athletics Race Walk Team Championships to be held in Antalya (Turkey) from April 20 to 21. The fight for the top three positions in the men’s 20 km is expected to be among national record holder Akashdeep Singh, Asian bronze medallist Vikash Singh and Paramjeet Bisht and Suraj Panwar.