Race walker denies losing gold due to early celebration: Says Chinese competitor was right beside him, no reason to break rhythm

Nitin Gupta, the 17-year-old race walker from India, has addressed the viral video that showed him seemingly celebrating too early in the final moments of his race at the Asian Under-18 Athletics Championships in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. The video quickly garnered attention after Nitin was narrowly beaten to the gold medal by Chinese athlete Zhu Ninghao, who edged him out by just 0.01 seconds in the 5000-meter race.

The footage showed Nitin raising his arms in celebration with around 40 meters remaining, leading to criticism on social media. Terms like ‘childish,’ ‘stupidity,’ and ‘a lesson’ were among the sharp comments directed at him. However, Nitin has defended his actions, saying that his focus on the race was undisturbed despite the appearance of premature celebration.

In an interview with Daily Beat, Nitin explained, “I just blanked out. It was my first international competition, the sun was scorching, there was a strong wind pushing against us, and I was feeling very thirsty. The Chinese athlete was pushing me to my limit, and I don’t remember the final 100 meters. I promise, I wasn’t celebrating early. I knew the Chinese walker was right beside me—why would I disrupt my rhythm?”

Despite the trolling, Nitin is not focused on the negativity. Instead, he wants to clarify his actions and reflect on his experience. He expressed regret for missing the gold medal and the opportunity to hear the Indian national anthem at the Prince Nayef Sports City, stating that he had hoped to change the perception of Indian race walkers, who have often been criticized for their disqualification in international events.

“There’s a general belief that Indian race walkers try to run instead of walk at international competitions, and our reputation isn’t great. I wanted to prove that we can win gold. I regret not proving the critics wrong. But whatever happened, it was my mistake,” he shared.

Nitin’s dedication to race walking has been evident for a while. Recently, he set a new national under-18 record at the National Youth Athletics Championships in Patna with a time of 19:24.48, a significant improvement from his time in Qatif (20:21.51). He hopes that soon people will focus more on his achievements rather than the viral video.

“People aren’t focusing on what I did well. But I’m not complaining. In a few days, hopefully, they’ll forget why I was trolled. New viral content always comes up. What I can promise is that I will work harder, improve my technique, and win gold the next time I represent India. I’m grateful to my coach for understanding me,” he said.

His coach, Basant Bahadur Rana, a 50km race walker and 2012 London Olympian, expressed support for Nitin, attributing his error to inexperience. “When I spoke to him after the race, he was crying and told me he didn’t know what happened towards the end. He’s learned from it. In India, he usually has a big lead, but international competition is at a higher level. He missed the gold, but he’s one of the most talented race walkers in the country,” Rana stated.

Nitin’s journey to race walking is an inspiring one. Born in Unnao, Nitin initially aspired to join the army and took up running to pass the physical fitness tests. After a suggestion from a friend, he switched to race walking and began training under coach Amir Khan. A year later, he joined the Boys Sports Company at the Madras Regimental Centre, which provided him with professional training and resources.

Coming from a humble background, Nitin’s family struggled financially. His father, Dinesh, works as a welder, and his older brother, Atul, shares a similar profession. Nitin’s mother, Sanju, moved with him to Ludhiana when he joined the army cadet program. Nitin often worked odd jobs to support himself and avoid burdening his parents. He worked at a scrap factory, as a laborer, and later cleaned a temple in Unnao to make ends meet.

“I never told my parents about my work at the scrap factory or as a daily laborer. I didn’t want them to feel bad. Before I worked at the temple, I just told them I was doing odd jobs. I never took money from them because I knew there wasn’t much. I hope they’re proud of me, despite the trolling,” Nitin explained.

Though Nitin didn’t secure the gold this time, he remains focused on his future. He aims to improve his race walking skills and hopes to bring home gold in future international competitions, making both his family and country proud.