Sandeep Kumar is an Indian race walker. In 2020, he participated in the 20-kilometer race walking competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and finished 23rd.
Wiki/Biography
Sandeep Kumar Punia was born on Thursday, May 1, 1986 in Mehendgarh, Haryana (age 36; as of 2022). His zodiac sign is Taurus. Sandeep Kumar lost his mother when he was seven years old. From then on, he went to work on the farm with his father after going to school. Sandeep has been fond of sports since his childhood and participated in Dangals competitions in nearby villages. In an interview, Sandeep recalled his childhood and said:
I lost my mother when I was 7 years old. From that point on, my childhood was never normal. I used to work on the farm with my father and herd cattle after going to school. During my childhood and teenage years, I used to earn money by fighting at Dangals in nearby villages and earning 5-10 rupees per fight. “
In 2006, after completing Class 12, Sandeep decided to join the Jat Regiment (Bareilly) of the Indian Army. When Sandeep was serving in the Indian Army, Captain Sitaram, a former Indian race walker, suggested that Sandeep take up race walking.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Sandeep Kumar belongs to the Jat family of Haryana
Parents and siblings
Sandeep Kumar’s father Pritam Singh is a farmer. In 1993, Sandeep’s mother passed away. He has three siblings; Sandeep is the youngest among them.
Profession
race walker
Sandeep Kumar started his race walking career in 2008 by competing in North Indian competitions. He finished fourth in the 50-kilometer race walk. Subsequently, in 2014, he participated in the Incheon Asian Games in South Korea and made his international debut. In the same year, he participated in the 50-kilometer race walking event of the IAAF World Race Walking Cup held in Taicang, China. In 2015, he participated in the 50-kilometer race walking event at the 2015 World Athletics Championships in Beijing, China, and the Gran Premio Cantones in A Coruna, Spain. In 2016, he participated in the Jaipur Indian Race Walking Championships 20km Race Walking and the Nomi Asian Race Walking Championships. In the same year, he participated in the 50-kilometer race walk at the Rio Olympics in Beijing, China. In the competition, he finished 35th with a time of 4 hours, 07 minutes and 55 seconds.
Tokyo Rio Olympics Sandeep Kumar (middle)
Subsequently, he participated in the 20-kilometer race walking competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and finished 23rd.
Sandeep Kumar at the 2020 Olympics
In 2022, he participated in the 20-km race walking event in the Ranchi India Race Walking Competition. In the competition, he won first place. In 2022, he won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. In an interview, Sandeep said about participating in various competitions,
I started competing at the minor level in 2008 and since then I have participated in Army competitions in the North Indian region and major competitions like the 2016 Rio Olympics. I have achieved record ranks both at the national level and at the Indian Army level. Apart from that, I finished fourth at the Asian Games and now my full focus is on winning a medal. Now I am working towards the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the upcoming 2018 Asian Championships and the Commonwealth Games to win medals for my country. “
Sandeep Kumar’s performance at Commonwealth Games 2022
indian army
Sandeep Kumar joined the Jat Regiment (Bareilly) of the Indian Army on September 14, 2006. Later, he was posted as Subedar in the Indian Army. In an interview, Sandeep talked about joining the Indian Army and said,
When I joined the Army, I excelled in training and stood out among 180 cadets in the class of 2008. Captain Sitaram, a former race walker with several national and Army records to his credit, suggested that I start race walking and trained me himself. Joined the Indian Army on September 14, 2006 because since my childhood I wanted to serve my country. Now I love it even more because not only am I in the military but I also represent my country in the Olympics and many other international events, making my country proud in both respects. “
Achievement
- Sandeep Kumar participated in the Indian 50km race walking competition in New Delhi in 2017 and 2018 and won first place.
- In 2016, he participated in the Jaipur India 20km race walking competition and finished third.
- In 2021, Sandeep Kumar participated in the Ranchi Indian Race Walking Championship and won the first position.
Sandeep Kumar competes in Indian race walking competition, Ranchi
- In 2022, Sandeep Kumar participated in the Ranchi Indian Race Walking Championship and won the first position.
Facts/Trivia
- Sandeep Kumar in an interview talked about his military career and said joining the Indian Army changed his life. He quoted,
I studied till the age of 12 and joined the Jat Regiment (Bareilly) of the Indian Army in December 2006. It was a really tough time and joining the Army changed my life. I appeared for the Indian Army Open Recruitment Test and passed. I still remember I went to another city and spent only 36 rupees for the whole day and I was so happy to be selected and now here I am, representing my country in the Olympics for the second time. “
- In 2020, Sandeep Kumar took up race walking training at the SAI Center in Bengaluru; however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, he had to move out of the training center and back to his village. Later, to continue his walking training, he plowed the fields with a tractor. In an interview, he spoke about this and said:
Nothing is certain. There is no incentive to start preparing again. We have no choice but to pick ourselves up. I walked in the rice fields of my village for three months trying to stay as healthy as possible.
- Sandeep Kumar is sponsored by the non-profit organization Lakshya. NGO Lakshay provides him with a monthly scholarship, buys sports equipment and pays his fees.
- On February 18, 2017, he set his first national record in the New Delhi Fifty Kilometer Indian Race Walking Competition in New Delhi, India. He finished the race in 3 hours, 55 minutes and 59 seconds.
- According to Sandeep Kumar’s coach Gurmeet Singh, when Sandeep joined the national training camp in June 2020, he gained weight and lost his temperament for the sport. Later, coach Gurmeet Singh assisted him to reverse back to his original position.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education