AFI announces 14-member squad for World Race Walking Team C'Ships

Ram Baboo, Akshdeep Singh and Priyanka Goswami will lead the 14-member Indian contingent at World Race Walking Team C'Ships in Antalya, Turkey, on April 21.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced a five-member men's 20 km racewalking team on Saturday.

In the last couple of days, the AFI also announced the mixed relay and women's 20 km teams.

The mixed team relay event is a Paris Olympic qualifying event where the top 22 racers (1 per NOC) will confirm their ticket to the Paris Olympics. AFI confirmed the two mixed teams for India who will take part in this qualifying event.

The first mixed relay team has two of the most experienced racewalkers in India, Priyanka Goswami and Akshdeep Singh, while the second team has Paramjeet Singh and Munita P.

Squad

Men team:- Suraj Panwar, Ram Baboo, Vikash Singh, Serving S, Arshpreet Singh

Women team:- Manju Rani, Payal, Pooja Kumawat, Mokavi M, Ramandeep Kaur.

Mixed Relay:- Priyanka Goswami-Akshdeep Singh, Munita P-Paramjeet Singh

This Turkey event will have five events - senior men's and women's races over 20 km, and junior category events for both genders over 10 km. The 35 Km racewalking event of both men's and women's categories has been scrapped from the last edition.

The 35 km race will be replaced by a new Marathon Race Walking Mixed Relay on the Marathon distance (42.195 km), with teams of one male and one female racing twice.

India already has secured four Paris Olympics quotas with a maximum of three spots in the men's category and one spot in women's racewalking. They will be trying to add one more racewalking quota in the mixed relay event in this competition.