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Indian race walker Bhawna Jat has been handed a 16-month ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for whereabouts failures. The ban, which commenced on August 10, 2023, will end on December 10, 2024.Bhawna's suspension stems from her failure to provide accurate whereabouts information and missed doping tests. Under NADA's Registered Testing Pool (RTP) program, athletes are required to submit their whereabouts quarterly and provide a 60-minute time slot for testing.Bhawna failed to appear for two doping tests in May and June 2023 and was also reported for one filing failure in the last quarter of 2022. She attributed the filing failure to technical issues with the mobile application and losing her phone.The Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel (ADDP) made the decision to suspend Bhawna under Article 2.4 of the NADA Rules on July 10, 2024. The suspension prevented her from competing at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest, Hungary.Bhawna, 28, is a former national record holder in the women's 20km race walk and competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Her suspension is a significant setback for her career and highlights the importance of adhering to anti-doping regulations.

India's race walkers endured a disappointing outing at the Tokyo Olympics, with Vikash Singh and Paramjeet Singh finishing well down the field in the men's 20km event. Vikash Singh crossed the line in 30th place with a time of 1 hour 22 minutes and 36 seconds, while Paramjeet Singh finished 37th in 1:23:48.The race was won by Ecuador's Brian Daniel Pintado in 1:18:55, with Brazil's Caio Bonfim and reigning world champion Alvaro Martin of Spain taking the silver and bronze medals respectively. Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Massimo Stano of Italy finished fourth.The Indian contingent's performance was particularly disappointing given that national record-holder Akshdeep Singh was forced to withdraw after the 6km mark. Singh had been expected to challenge for a top-10 finish, but his withdrawal left India with only two representatives in the race.The best performance by an Indian in the Olympics in the 20km race walk remains KT Irfan's 10th-place finish in the 2012 London Games, where he clocked a time of 1:20:21.Later in the day, Priyanka Goswami will compete in the women's 20km race walk event, where she will be hoping to improve on India's disappointing performance in the men's event.

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.

Indian athletes are embracing a new training strategy in preparation for the Paris Olympics, opting for short, objective-specific training camps abroad. These camps provide access to world-class facilities, sparring partners, and coaching expertise that are not readily available in India.Priyanka Goswami, India's leading race walker, has been forced to adjust her training plans due to visa issues. Despite the setback, she remains committed to her goal of competing at the highest level. Her training regimen includes stints in Switzerland, France, and Germany, where she will focus on improving her technique and endurance.Sharath Kamal, India's top male paddler, has also opted for an overseas training camp in Germany. The 41-year-old is seeking to sharpen his skills and intensity on the table in preparation for the Olympics. He believes that training with world-class players will help him identify and address areas for improvement.Other Indian athletes who have benefited from overseas training camps include boxers Nikhat Zareen, Lovlina Borgohain, Parveen Hooda, and Preeti Pawar, who spent time in Turkey sparring with boxers of varied styles. Wrestler Anshu Malik credits a month-long training stint in Japan for her technical developments.The primary benefit of these overseas camps is the opportunity to engage with quality sparring partners, especially in contact sports like boxing and wrestling. However, other factors, such as access to ideal training conditions and equipment, can also play a role.For Priyanka, finding flat roads for training in high-altitude places in India is a challenge. Hence, she has opted for a month-long camp in Switzerland's Saint Moritz. Sharath, on the other hand, chose to move to Germany because the tables and balls there mirror the ones at the Paris Games.These overseas training camps are a testament to the growing professionalism and dedication of Indian athletes. By embracing this new strategy, they are maximizing their chances of success on the world stage.

Priyanka Goswami and Akshdeep Singh, India's national record holders in women's and men's 20km race walk, respectively, have secured an Olympic berth for India in the newly introduced marathon race walk mixed relay. The duo finished 18th at the World Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey, on Sunday, earning one of the 22 Paris Olympics spots available.The mixed event, which will make its Olympic debut this summer, involves male and female walkers alternating in distances of 12.195km, 10km, 10km, and 10km. Priyanka and Akshdeep clocked 3:05:03, placing them among the top 22 teams."It was a good performance considering we were doing this for the first time," said Priyanka. "We have a greater chance in this relay event at the Olympics to aim for a higher finish."Akshdeep, who set a new national record in January, and Priyanka, a 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, held their own in a world-class field. They were placed 20th around the halfway mark before moving up to 18th and remaining there at the finish.Both Indians found the stop-start format of the race challenging. "It's a new event for us," said Akshdeep. "After my first leg, I had a 45-minute break where my body had cooled down quite a bit. Now that we have experienced this, we can train accordingly and do even better at the Olympics."In addition to the mixed relay qualification, Priyanka and Akshdeep have also made the cut for the individual 20km event in Paris. Servin Sebastian produced the best finish by an Indian in the individual 20km races, placing 20th with a time of 1:21:39.

Ram Baboo's remarkable journey from humble beginnings to Olympic qualification is a testament to his unwavering determination and exceptional talent. The 25-year-old race walker has etched his name in Indian sporting history by becoming the seventh Indian male walker to qualify for the Paris Olympics.Baboo's rise to prominence has been meteoric. After transitioning from marathon to race walking six years ago, he quickly mastered the intricate technique, showcasing his natural aptitude for the sport. His bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games in the 35km race walk further solidified his credentials.In Slovakia, Baboo faced challenging conditions, including cold temperatures and wet surfaces. Despite these obstacles, he displayed remarkable resilience and determination, clocking a personal best time of 1:20:00 and securing a podium finish. This achievement not only earned him a spot in the Paris Olympics but also boosted his confidence ahead of the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya.Baboo's success is not merely a reflection of his athletic prowess but also a testament to his unwavering spirit. Growing up in a financially disadvantaged family, he witnessed firsthand the struggles his father faced as a laborer. Determined to break the cycle of poverty, Baboo embraced sports as a path to a better future.With his Olympic qualification, Baboo has not only achieved his personal dreams but also inspired countless others from underprivileged backgrounds. His story serves as a reminder that with hard work, dedication, and a belief in oneself, anything is possible.