Race Walker Suraj Panwar Embraces New Challenge in Paris Olympics

Suraj Panwar, a 23-year-old race walker, is preparing for a unique challenge at the upcoming Paris Olympics. Despite being a 20km race walker, he will be competing in the inaugural marathon race walk mixed relay event, where he will team up with Priyanka Goswami.

Panwar's journey to the Olympics has been marked by both adversity and triumph. Born into a family of forest guards, he lost his father at a young age when he was killed while preventing illegal logging. Raised by his single mother, Poonam, who worked at a forest department nursery, Panwar's sporting ambitions were nurtured from an early age.

The marathon race walk mixed relay event, which will make its Olympic debut in Paris, presents a new challenge for Panwar. He will cover a total of 22.195km in two legs, with a break in between. The combined time of both athletes will determine the result.

Panwar is currently training under Russian coach Tatiana Sibileva and is simulating the race conditions by taking breaks after completing 12.195km. He is not practicing with Goswami, who is training abroad, but will meet her in Paris before the event.

Despite the challenges, Panwar is determined to give his best. He qualified for the Olympics through the world ranking quota in the 20km event but was later selected for the mixed relay. "It was a bit of a surprise," he said. "But I continued my training and it is a dream come true to be an Olympian."

Panwar's mother, Poonam, has been his constant source of inspiration. "She told me to focus on my game and not on other things," he said. "I am keeping my TOPS inclusion a secret from her until I start getting the allowance. She will be very happy."

With the support of his mother and the guidance of his coach, Panwar is ready to embrace the challenges of the Paris Olympics and make his mark on the world stage.

Tags: #SurajPanwar, #ParisOlympics, #RaceWalking, #MixedRelay, #PriyankaGoswami