India’s first medal in athletics came through Suraj Panwar who won the silver in the 5,000m race walk at the third Youth Olympic Games played in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Panwar’s first medal thereby increases India’s tally to 11 in the competition where his times of 20.35.87 and 20.23.30 in the two stages of his event earned him the second spot behind Oscar Patin of Ecuador.
Ending the first stage with a second-place finish, Panwar achieved the same in the second stage as well but with the disqualification of Xin Wang for a lane infringement, the Indian finished this stage in the first position. But his first-place finish wasn’t enough as his time of 40:59.17 fell seven minutes short of Ecuador’s Patin who clocked 40:51.86. Jan Moreu from Puerto Rico finished with the bronze medal.
In his interaction with the IAAF after winning the silver medal, Panwar said, “My next step is to train for the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and win a medal there as well.”
He added, “My next step is to train for the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and win a medal there as well.”
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