India endured a difficult outing in the women’s marathon race walk at the 2026 Asian Games. Manju Rani finished sixth in 3:40:17, while teammate Priyanka Goswami was disqualified early in the race.

Manju battled through the demanding 42.195km event despite receiving multiple penalties. However, India missed out on a podium finish.

Yasmina Toxanbayeva Wins Gold on Marathon Race Walk Debut

Kazakhstan’s Yasmina Toxanbayeva claimed the gold medal in a memorable debut over the full marathon race walk distance.

She crossed the finish line in 3:22:20 to secure the top spot on the podium.

China’s Danzengquzong won silver with a personal best of 3:26:09. Her compatriot Ma L completed the podium, taking bronze in 3:32:26.

Priyanka Goswami Disqualified After Early Penalties

India’s medal hopes took an early blow when Priyanka Goswami was disqualified around 9km into the race.

The national-level race walker accumulated four red cards from the judges. As a result, she was removed from the competition.

Race walking is governed by strict technical rules. Athletes must maintain a walking motion throughout the event.

Two major violations can lead to penalties:

  • Loss of contact: Athletes must maintain visible contact with the ground. Both feet must not be off the ground at the same time.

  • Bent knee: The advancing leg must remain straight from the moment it touches the ground until it passes beneath the body.

How Race Walking Penalties Work

Race walking judges monitor athletes throughout the course. They issue red cards when they observe clear technical violations.

The penalty system works as follows:

  1. Red cards: Judges issue red cards for technical violations. These must come from different judges to count toward the penalty threshold.

  2. Penalty zone: In longer races, three red cards from different judges result in a mandatory time penalty in the penalty zone.

  3. Disqualification: A fourth red card from a different judge after the penalty threshold leads to disqualification.

Serving a time penalty does not clear an athlete’s previous red cards.

Manju Rani Battles Through Penalties to Finish Sixth

Manju Rani also faced scrutiny from the judges during the race. She received three red cards and had to serve a time penalty.

Despite the setback, she continued to the finish line. Manju completed the marathon race walk in 3:40:17, securing sixth place.

Her performance brought India a top-six finish in a challenging event, although the country finished without a medal.