The Indian contingent launched a campaign of the World Athletics Championship under exhaustive conditions in Tokyo on Saturday 13th September. The three Indians performed in the opening events of a prestigious global meeting, with two of which were able to cross the finish line. Priyanka Goswami, National Record holder in the Women’s Race 35 km, and Sandeep Kumar, the oldest team member of the 39, both provided the Top-25 in their events.
Men’s national record holder of RAM Baboo, who ended two years ago inside the TOP 30 in Budapest, was disqualified after he received four red cards in a male 35 km racing walk.
World Athletics Championship 1.
Although neither Priyanka nor Sandeep could correspond to their personal bests, both can proud of their efforts, due to brutal heat and humidity, which welcomed endurance athletes on the day of the opening. Priyanka of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh brought a strong performance to end up inside the TOP 25, thus fit 3:05:58, although he served three and a half minutes.
Heat and moisture on the start day of the start affected the timing of most athletes. From 50 to 35 km of men’s racer, only the 34 race was able to finish the race. Only 38 out of 47 women completed their races on Saturday.
With my pleasure with my efforts: Priyanka
Priyanka Goswami in Tokyo (with permission: Sundeep Misra)
She entered the championship on the back of the new national record 2:56:34, set in Dudince in Slovakia in March, but could not approach this Mark in Tokyo unforgivable conditions. A 29 -year -old woman, who claimed the bronze of Asian championships in 2023 at 2023, said she was satisfied with her progress after she recently entered 35 km.
“I went to think I wanted to achieve my personal best there,” said silver medalist Commonwealth Games Sundeep Misra in Tokyo.
“But after I saw the conditions, I decided that I should focus on the race first and then a warning on avoiding, because you are thinking about timing only when you finish the race. It was probably my 3rd or 4th competition.
Indian athletes in Tokyo: complete schedule
Priyanka was less pleased with the punishment that was stored on it, insisted that it was worth a place in the TOP 20 and pushed it for a 3 -hour mark.
“If I read the three and a half minutes, I would end up in the TOP 18. It hurts to unnecessarily add three minutes to my time, but overall it’s okay, I ended up 24.” she said, adding she received the cards in her first two rounds.
“Of course it’s hot. I feel like they warn just looking at the Indian set,” she added a sharp note focused on officials.
Sandeep Kumar passes past the target line
Championship began in the shadow of global warmingWith World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, he recognizes extreme conditions in the Japanese capital. The Canadian Evan Dunfee and the Spanish Mara Přecha was crowned with the first champions in Tokyo and won male and female racing walks 35 km.
Dunfee, Olympic bronze medalist from Tokyo 2021, hit gold at 2:28:22. Despite the cramps in the final stages, the Canadian held on to secure his first main world title. Brazilian Caio Bonfim took silver at 2:28:55, while Japanese Hayato Katsuki claimed that bronze at 2: 29: 16s to open the sum of the host nation medal.
Sandeep Kumar, a veteran for India, finished 23rd at 2:39:15. The time was a few minutes outside his personal best of 2:35:06, which was set at the beginning of this year in Chandigarh. Remarkably, the Sandeep brand was slower than President’s performance of gold medals at a female event. The Spaniard retained his crown at 2:39:01 and ended in front of Italian Antonella Palmisano (2: 42: 24s) and Paul Ecuador Milena Torres (2:42:44), who set up a new national record.
Later during the day, Pooja Olla will stand in a female 1500 meter. Although she said her favorite event remains 800 m in which she will compete at these championships, she will arrive in good form at 1500 m. 02,79 and 4: 11,63. She continued her run with another gold at 1500 m at a world continental bronze meeting in Bhubaneswar.
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Published:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
September 13, 2025
