Sandeep Kumar, Ravina win national 20km race walk titles

Ranchi, April 16 : Haryana race walkers Sandeep Kumar and Ravina won the mens and womens 20km titles on the opening day of the ninth Indian Open Race Walking Competition here on Saturday.The 35-year-old Sandeep Kumar completed a hat-trick of national crowns, beating Punjabs Akshdeep Singh and Maharashtras Paramjeet Singh Bisht challenge.

Yet, while he won in 1:22:05.00, a faster time than when he finished 13th in the World Championships in Muscat, he was 5 seconds outside the qualifying standard for the Asian Games.The 24-year-old Ravina, whose 14th place finish in Muscat helped the Indian team win a bronze medal, was faster than at the World Championships.She finished 39 seconds ahead of Bhawna Jat, recording a personal best time of 1:31:52.00.Sonal Sukhwal, who won bronze, also got a personal best.Each of the podium finishers met the Asian Games qualifying standard.Amit Khatri, the 18-year-old who suffered a heartbreak disqualification after appearing to finish in a medal position in the mens U20 10km in Muscat, marked his debut in the 20km event with a fourth place finish in a creditable 1:23:42.00, only 15 seconds behind the bronze medal winning Paramjeet Singh Bisht.Results:Mens 20km: 1.Sandeep Kumar (Haryana) 1:22:05.00; 2.Akshdeep Singh (Punjab) 1:23:14.00; 3.Paramjeet Singh Bisht (Maharashtra) 1:23:27.00.Womens 20km: 1.Ravina (Haryana) 1:31:52.00; 2.Bhawna Jat (Rajasthan) 1:32:31.00; 3.Sonal Sukhwal (Rajasthan) 1:32:40.00.inj #Sandeep #Kumar #Ravina #national #race #walk #Jeet #Haryana #Ranchi .