File image of Priyanka Goswami© X (Twitter)
In a disappointing turn of events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, India's marathon race walk mixed relay team, comprised of Suraj Panwar, and Priyanka Goswami, did not finish the final of the mixed relay event on Wednesday. The Indian duo's campaign ended prematurely at the 33.4km mark, shortly after the third exchange, due to multiple infractions involving loss of contact and bent knee issues. The marathon race walk mixed relay, known for its gruelling demands and technical precision, saw Spain's Alvaro Martin and Maria Perez emerge victorious with a time of 2:50:31, securing the gold medal.
Ecuador and Australia followed closely, earning the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
India's team faced a series of warnings during the race, which ultimately led to their disqualification. Despite their efforts, the technicalities of race walking proved to be a significant hurdle.
The disqualification marks a setback for the Indian athletics contingent, which had high hopes for a strong performance in the event.
As the Olympics continue, the focus now shifts to other events and athletes, with hopes that future competitions will bring better results and opportunities for the Indian team.
Earlier in the day, grappler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50 kg women's wrestling event. Vinesh was scheduled to take on United States's Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the Gold Medal match.
A statement issued by the Indian Olympic contingent said that Phogat had tipped the scales above the 50 kg mark and was disqualified.
"It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women's Wrestling 50 kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50 kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh's privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand," the statement read.
Vinesh Phogat had entered the Gold Medal bout after beating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday night.
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