'Son rising': Race walker Suraj Panwar gears up for debut within debut at Olympics

New Delhi: Plucked out of his comfort zone and training without a partner for a mixed event in what is to be his debut Olympics, race walker Suraj Panwar is gearing up for quite a roller-coaster ride in Paris this month.

But he is quite used to upheaval. He was born into it.

The 23-year-old was an infant when his forest guard father Udai Singh Panwar was killed in the line of duty while trying to prevent illegal logging of trees. He was raised single-handedly by his mother Poonam, who worked at the forest department's nursery in a village near Dehradun and supported his sporting ambitions.

"I have never competed in marathon race walk mixed relay in my career, this is going to be my first time. So, I don't even have a target timing in my mind. But, it's a matter of representing my country and I will give my 100 per cent," Panwar told PTI in an interview.

The event was first introduced in a major championship at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Antalya, Turkiye in April. It will make its Olympics debut in Paris.

Panwar, who is a 20km race walker, will pair with Priyanka Goswami in the new event which will cover the marathon distance of 42.195km. The first 12.195km will be covered by the male race walker before his female team-mate takes over for the next 10km.

After that, the male racewalker will cover another 10km before his female counterpart takes over for the final 10km up to the finish line. The combined time of the two athletes will be taken into consideration to decide the result.

"I will cover a little over 20km (22.195km in total in two legs) but the difference (from 20km race) is that I will do it with a break in between after completing 12.195km," he explained.

"At that time, Priyanka will be running her first 10km. I can do my recovery with the help of a masseur or physiotherapist and get ready for my next 10km," said Panwar, who won a 5000m race walk silver in 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

There will be change zones where the male and female race walkers will exchange wristbands, similar to change of batons in relay races.

But, interestingly, Panwar is not practising with Priyanka, who is currently training abroad. She will reach Paris on July 28 or 29.

National record holder Priyanka will also be competing in the women's individual 20km race walk event in Paris.

"I am doing simulation practice (at SAI Bengaluru). After doing 12.195km, I will take a break of around 45 minutes. Then I resume again," said Panwar, who is currently training under Russian coach Tatiana Sibileva.

Olympic dream almost broken

Panwar breached the Olympic qualifying standard (of 1:20.10) in 20km race walk event during the National Championships in Chandigarh in January by clocking 1 hour 19 minutes 44 seconds but World Athletics invalidated that result citing some technical issues.

He still made the grade through the world ranking quota in the 20km event. But the Athletics Federation of India selected him for the marathon race walk mixed relay event.

"It (selection for Olympics) was a bit of a surprise. I was very disappointed after the National Championships timing was cancelled. I was thinking whether I will be picked for Olympics or not. I was very anxious," Panwar said.

"But I continued my training thinking it's alright if I don't go to Paris. But, the federation picked me after checking my overall results. It is a dream come true to be an Olympian," he added.

Focus on your game: Mom's advice

Panwar's stoic mother has been his inspiration growing up and she doesn't yet have a clear idea about his achievements. He had won a silver in the Youth Olympics in 2018, competing in a pair of second-hand shoes gifted to him by Olympian Manish Singh Rawat.

"I am focussing on my training routine. My mom told me to focus on my game and not on other things. So, I don't even talk to her too often on phone," he said.

Recently, Mission Olympic Cell included Panwar in the Target Olympics Podium Scheme's (TOPS) core group.

The inclusion will ensure that his training and other expenses are taken care of by the government. He will also get a monthly allowance of Rs 50,000.

"I have kept it a secret from my mother till I begin to get the allowance. I will give her a surprise and tell her once I start getting the money. She will be very happy," he said.