Paramjeet Singh Bisht aims for podium finish at National Games after winning 20km race walk title at Services meet 

After stamping his authority at the just-concluded Services Athletics Championships held in Bengaluru, Indian Navy race walker Paramjeet Singh Bisht has set his sights on a podium finish in the men’s 20km race walk event at the upcoming National Games. The prestigious competition will be held across six cities in Gujarat from September 27 to October 10.

“A good performance at the National Games will further add to my confidence,” the 20-year-old Bisht told Sportskeeda over the phone from Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Based out of Bengaluru, the Uttarakhand race walker will also compete in the Open National Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from October 15-19.

“The gap between the National Games and the Open National Athletics Championships is less than two weeks but I’m looking forward to a steady performance,” the Services 20km race walk champion said.

“The experience gained in the national competitions will enable me to tackle a tough field during the 2023 National Race Walking Championship," he added.

The 2023 National Race Walking Championship will act as a qualifier for the postponed 2023 Asian Games. According to the Indian Navy athlete, by earning a place in the national team for 2023 international events, he should be able to improve his personal best of 1:23:27.

“The first half of the 2022 season didn’t go on the expected lines as I had to battle niggles in the knee and ankle. But I have recovered and I am enjoying good fitness,” the promising race walker said.

“All I have to do is stay healthy for the next three to four months to perform up to my potential in the 2023 National Race Walking Championship," he added.

At last month's Service Athletics Championships held at the Jalahalli Air Force track in the northern suburb of Bengaluru, Bisht gave ample display of his fitness. The wet and rainy conditions didn’t dampen his spirit as he went on to beat a strong field that included Olympian KT Irfan.

“It rained a night before the race in Bengaluru. The track was wet. The conditions weren’t ideal yet a gold-medal winning time of 1:24: 49 seconds in the 20km was encouraging,” Bisht explained.

While KT Irfan finished second, several seasoned athletes spread out in the second half of the race, which was faster than the opening 10km.

“I took the lead at the 11km mark and continued to push hard,” recalls Bisht. “I narrowly missed the Services 20km record.”

Olympian Sandeep Kumar, who won a medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the 10km race walk event, skipped the Services Athletics Championships.

Bisht graduated from the junior ranks to the senior group. Two months back, he enrolled himself in the Indian Navy under the sports quota.

“It was important for me to do well in my first Services Athletics Championship,” the race walker said.