National record holder Akshdeep Singh secured a commendable third place in the 20km race walk event at the Zahoracka Dvadsiatka, a World Athletics Race Walking Tour silver level meet held in Borsky Mikulas, Slovakia, on Saturday.

Akshdeep, who has already surpassed the Paris Olympics qualifying mark of 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 10 seconds, clocked 1:20:52 to claim the third spot. His national record for the event stands at an impressive 1:19:38.

In addition to Akshdeep’s podium finish, three other Indian race walkers also delivered strong performances, finishing in the top 10. Suraj Panwar completed the race in 1:21:52 to secure sixth place. Parmajeet Singh Bisht and Servin Sebastian finished seventh and ninth, with times of 1:22:10 and 1:22:20, respectively.

Vikash Singh and Arshpreet Singh also participated in the event, finishing 15th and 16th with times of 1:24:10 and 1:24:23, respectively.

The strong showing by Indian race walkers at this prestigious international meet highlights the depth of talent and competitive spirit within the team, setting a positive tone for future events leading up to the Paris Olympics.