National Games gold will act as a catalyst for Olympic season, says Uttarakhand’s promising race walker Suraj Panwar

Uttarakhand’s 23-year-old international race walker, Suraj Panwar, had one last chance to prove himself in the season-ending competition. On Monday, he didn’t let that opportunity slip during the men’s 20km race walk event here at the 37th National Games. Speaking to Sportskeeda after winning the gold with a time of 1:27:43.00, Panwar stated:

“I desperately needed this win”

It was a close contest. Services athlete Servin was close on his heels as the finished line approached. Panwar, it seemed, was more hungry than his rival on the given day. He found that extra bit of energy to shift gears when it mattered most to edge out Servin, who finished second with a time of 1:27:44.00. Haryana’s Hardeep took home bronze with a time of 1:28:77.00.

It has been a traumatic year for the 23-year-old promising race walker from Dehradun in Uttarakhand. While his competitors were training and racing, he had to work with a physio at a rehab center for four long months - March to June - to nurse lower back pain. Panwar recalls:

“I was depressed. Thoughts flashed through my mind that I would never make a comeback”

“Luckily extensive rehab helped me to recover and I gradually moved step by step”

On his comeback trail, Panwar proved that all is not lost. Winner of the silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Panwar said it was important for him to win first place here at the Goa National Games. He added:

“It will be an advantage when I step on the starting line for my next race”

Panwar was one of the four male race walkers who had achieved the Hangzhou Asian Games qualification time in the men’s 20km. However, injury spoiled his chances to prove his worth. He couldn’t compete in the final selection trial held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha in mid-June.

The promising race walker's next goal is to stay healthy and give his best in the 2024 season, which will feature the Paris Olympic Games. According to Panwar, he has recovered from the lower back injury and is looking to cement his place in the national squad.

The 2024 season will commence with the National Race Walking Championships in February. It will be an important domestic platform to showcase his potential. In the 2023 season, Panwar narrowly missed the Paris Olympic Games qualification in the 20km race walk. However, he is in no mood to give up as he further added:

“I’ve achieved good fitness. I’ve nearly four months to further improve my endurance and deliver goods at the right time”