Indian Army Athlete Subedar Sandeep Kumar Secures Silver at Austrian Race Walking Championship
Subedar Sandeep Kumar of the Indian Army’s 16th Battalion, The Jat Regiment, part of the Gandiv Division, claimed a silver medal in the 35 km race walk at the Austrian Race Walking Championship in Innsbruck on June 9. With a remarkable time of 02:38:45, the Olympian and Commonwealth Games medalist reinforced his reputation as one of India’s leading endurance athletes.
Kumar's journey originated in the agricultural fields of Haryana, where he assisted his family and occasionally participated in local wrestling competitions. His path changed significantly after enlisting in the Army, where he was introduced to race walking at the Jat Regiment Center. Benefiting from the Army’s structured coaching and training, Kumar advanced rapidly, setting a national record in the 20-km race walk with a time of 01:20:16 in 2021 and earning a spot at the Tokyo Olympics. His success aligns with a 2020 Sports Authority of India study, which indicated that military athletes have a 40% higher success rate, attributed to enhanced discipline and access to facilities.
Lieutenant General Manjinder Singh, Army Commander of the South Western Command, praised Kumar for his outstanding performance, calling it a tribute to the Indian Army’s dedication to sports excellence. The championship also featured another Indian Army athlete, Naib Subedar Ram Baboo from the Sapta Shakti Command, who secured the bronze medal, showcasing the military’s increasing prominence in international athletics.
These accomplishments contest the common notion that elite sports talent primarily arises from civilian academies. The medals won by Kumar and Baboo highlight the Army’s pivotal role in identifying and nurturing talent from rural areas in India, transforming them into international champions through intensive training, mentorship, and the provision of opportunities.
