
Image Credits: TWITTER @@afiindia
Bhawna Jat qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the women's 20-kilometer race walking after she won an event in National Race Walk Championships, Ranchi in a Indian national record time on Saturday.
Bhawna, a 24-year-old from Rajasthan, crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 29 minutes, 54 seconds and met the qualifying standard of 1:31:00.
"I was determined to win my Tokyo Olympics berth here, so I'm really happy," Bhawna said.
Bhawna’s effort was a massive improvement on her personal best of 1:38.30, set in October last year. Priyanka Goswami narrowly missed the Olympic cut with a timing of 1:31.36.
"My target was 1:28-1:29, really put a lot of hard work in training over the last three months. Thanks to my mother & father for always supporting me & thanks to my department in Indian Railways," said New National Record maker.
Bhawna is India’s 2nd race walker to book a ticket to Tokyo Olympics after K T Irfan, who earned his Tokyo berth in May last year after finishing 4th in the 20km event of the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan.