Indian race walker Sandeep Kumar in action during the World Athletics Championships. (Photo Credit: AP)Indian contingent had a disappointing start as the race walkers Sandeep Kumar and Priyanka Goswami finished at 23rd and 24th places in the men’s and women’s sections of 35km race walking event on the opening day of competitions at the World Athletics Championships on Saturday in Tokyo.
Another Indian in the men’s 35km race walk, Ram Baboo was disqualified after he received his fourth red card at the 24km mark. In race walking, penalties are issued for violating the fundamental race walking rules, such as losing contact with the ground or having a bent supporting leg. Baboo, who had finished 27th in Budapest World Championships two years ago, is the current national record holder with a time of 2 hour 29 minute and 56 seconds.
He was one of the six walkers disqualified for the same infringement after 50 athletes began the early morning race. Out of the 50 competitors, 34 completed the race while 10 more — other than those disqualified — did not finish (DNF).
The 39-year-old Sandeep, who had qualified for the showpiece at the last minute, clocked 2 hours 39 minutes and 15 seconds to finish the race at 23rd. He could not breach his personal and season’s best of 2:35:06 under hot and humid conditions. National record holder Priyanka clocked 3 hours 05 minutes 58 seconds to finish 24th in the 46-woman field. One athlete was disqualified after getting her fourth red card while seven more other competitors could not finish (DNF) the race.
In the women’s 1500m race, Pooja finished a disappointing 11th in heat number two, clocking 4 minute 13.75 seconds, in a 14-athlete field. She has a personal best of 4:09.52. She will also compete in 800m scheduled for September 18.
Day 1 – September 13
Day 2 – September 14
Day 3 – September 15
Day 4 – September 16
Day 5 – September 17
Day 6 – September 18
Day 7 – September 19
Day 8 – September 20
Day 9 – September 21
India has 15 men athletes and four women athletes participating at the 2025 World Athletics Championships.
Men’s Team: Animesh Kujur (200m), Gulveer Singh (5,000m &10,000m), Tejas Shirse (110m hurdles), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (high jump), Murali Sreeshankar (long jump), Praveen Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker (Triple jump), Neeraj Chopra, Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav (Javelin throw), Servin Sebastian (20km race walk), Ram Baboo and Sandeep Kumar (35km race walk).
Women’s Team: Pooja (800m/1500m), Parul Chaudhary, Ankita (3000m steeplechase), Annu Rani (javelin throw), Priyanka (35km race walk).
The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will be broadcasted by Star Sports Network in India. The event will have dedicated TV coverage for both morning and evening sessions with Star Sports 1 broadcasting the morning session from 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM IST and Star Sports Select 2 broadcasting the evening session from 2:00 PM IST.
The both sessions of the World Athletics Championships will also be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website.



