Asian Championships medallist Servin Sebastian emerged victorious in the men’s half marathon race walk at the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, clocking 1:31:49 to secure the national title in challenging weather conditions.

Representing one of India’s brightest hopes in race walking, Servin held off a strong challenge from Sachin Bora, who finished second in 1:32:10, while Ningthoukhongja completed the podium with a time of 1:32:24.

Men’s Half Marathon Race Walk Results

🥇 Servin Sebastian – 1:31:49
🥈 Sachin Bora – 1:32:10
🥉 Ningthoukhongja – 1:32:24

The race was conducted under demanding conditions, with humidity levels hovering around 92 percent and temperatures remaining high throughout the morning. Such conditions made it difficult for athletes to maintain pace, particularly in an endurance discipline as physically taxing as race walking.

While none of the athletes managed to achieve the Asian Games qualification standard, the quality of competition remained high, with the leading trio separated by less than a minute.

Servin’s victory further cements his status as one of the country’s leading race walkers. The Kerala athlete enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2025 when he won bronze at the Asian Race Walking Championships, becoming one of the few Indian men to secure a continental medal in the discipline. The performance established him as a serious contender for major international championships and strengthened India’s growing reputation in race walking.

Although the Asian Games qualification standard remained out of reach in Bhubaneswar, sources indicate that the top two finishers—Servin Sebastian and Sachin Bora—could still come under consideration for selection, given their credentials and previous performances.

However, qualification standards are only one part of the selection process. The final composition of the Indian team for the 2026 Asian Games will be decided by the Athletics Federation of India’s Selection Committee, which will assess performances across the qualification period before naming the squad.