Sports in India have become more inclusive, especially for women and we have Bhawna Jat proving that right to all of us. In an overwhelming moment, this Rajasthan-born, has earned a place for herself in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, in the 20km race walk and we are really very proud. 

© AFIIndia

Race walking, is a long-distance discipline within the sports of athletics, where the foot has to be in contact with the ground at all times while walking. It's different from a regular race and has many participants, like Bhawna who has qualified from India for it.

Bhawna has set a new national record and is now all set to book her ticket to Tokyo where the Olympics will take place in July this year.

The 24-year-old athlete, clocked a record time of 1 hour, 29 minutes and 54 seconds, as she won the seventh National Race Walk championships. She beat the Olympic qualification mark of 1:31:00, quite easily.

âMy target was 1:28 to 1:29, really put a lot of hard work in training over the last three months" she was quoted as saying by the Athletics Federation of India, after which she thanked her parents and the Indian Railways, where she is currently employed.

Big result in Women's 20km, Bhawna Jat of #Rajasthan clocks 1:29.54 (Olympic Qualification time- 1:31.00)

7th National #RaceWalk Championships 2020 #Ranchi

Priyanka Goswami narrowly miss Oly Q as she clocked 1:31.36@BhutaniRahul @g_rajaraman pic.twitter.com/ChtUexgIuw

Bhawana Jat's previous best in the same category was 1:38:30, set in October last year and an improvement of nine minutes is quite a big deal. It is an extremely impressive feat as she will partake in the Olympics 2020 now. Bhawna will be following up on her sensational performance at the Nationals at the Asian Race Walking Championship next month.

© PTI

Bhwana trains in Jaipur, on her own, with the help of her coach Gurmukh Sihag, and has never taken part in any International tournament, in junior or senior level. She also has never been in a national camp under the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). But to see such a spirited athlete who has fought her way to one of the most prestigious global sporting events, is an inspiration for many women athletes in the country, who strive everyday to do their best in whatever field they're excelling in.

© PTI

âItâs a dream come true. I was doing in the range of 1:27:00s during training and so I knew that if the conditions are all right I would be able to breach this Olympic qualifying mark of 1:31:00s,â Bhawna recently told PTI in an interview.

âIt was pure hard work in the last few months with my coach that I am being able to come up with this kind of performance,â she added.

Currently Bhawna is employed as a train ticket examiner with the Indian Railways but come July, her world will surely turn around once she represents India in race walking in the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

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