In a year where Indian athletics is steadily gaining international traction, one young name has stood out on the road Nitin Gupta, the 17-year-old racewalker from the Boys Sports Company of the Madras Regimental Centre, has turned 2025 into a personal breakthrough season.
From breaking long-standing national records to putting Indian race-walking on the global radar, Nitin’s rise has been both phenomenal and promising.
From Silver in Asia to National Supremacy
Nitin began his stellar 2025 campaign in April with a bittersweet moment at the Asian U-18 Athletics Championships in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Competing in the boys’ 5000m race walk final, the Indian teenager looked set for gold before a premature celebration in the home stretch saw him overtaken by China’s Zhu in the final strides. Nitin clocked 20:21.51 to clinch silver, a commendable result but a sharp lesson in competitive focus.
That moment could have dampened his morale. Instead, it seemed to ignite a fire.
Just weeks later, Nitin responded in record-shattering style at the Indian U-18 National Championships, becoming the first Indian U-18 athlete to go sub-20 minutes in the 5km race walk. He not only smashed the U-18 national record but also became the first Indian in history across all junior levels to breach the 20-minute barrier in the 5km event, underlining his supreme potential.
Golden Glory in Prayagraj
The defining moment of his season so far came at the 23rd National Junior U-20 Federation Cup Athletics Championship, held in Prayagraj on June 23. Stepping up to the 10km race walk, Nitin stunned the field with a national record-breaking performance of 39:46.78, comfortably eclipsing the previous record held by Amit Khatri, a World U20 silver medalist and one of India’s brightest racewalking prospects.
To better Khatri’s record by nearly a minute at just 17 years of age speaks volumes about Nitin’s endurance, technique, and strategic development. More importantly, this time now places Nitin at 11th in the world lead and 4th in the Asian lead for 2025 in the U20 category, putting him firmly among the elite juniors globally.
With this, Nitin is now also the fourth-fastest Indian of all time in the 10km race walk across all age groups a remarkable feat considering he still has years left in the junior category.
A Product of Structure and Mentorship
Nitin’s progress is no accident. He is a sports cadet with the Indian Army’s Boys Sports Company, a setup designed to channel young sporting talent into national and international excellence. The discipline, routine, and infrastructure provided by the Madras Regimental Centre have played a vital role in Nitin’s athletic grooming.
Equally significant is the mentorship of Basanta Bahadur Rana, India’s former Olympic racewalker and now a highly respected coach. Rana, who also mentors elite Indian athletes such as Ram Baboo (Asian Games bronze medalist) and Servin Sebastian (Asian Championships medalist), has crafted a niche program for racewalkers focusing on biomechanical efficiency, mental toughness, and race-specific strategy.
Under Rana’s guidance, Nitin has visibly grown not just in his timings, but in maturity. His handling of the Dammam disappointment with a string of historic performances thereafter speaks volumes of the culture of accountability and excellence instilled in him.
India’s Racewalking Hope for the Future
India has had sporadic success in racewalking at the junior level most notably through names like Amit Khatri and Suraj Panwar but the transition to senior global podiums remains elusive. In Nitin, there is now a genuine prospect of sustained international competitiveness, provided the athlete is managed wisely through this transition.
Racewalking, often overlooked in the broader athletics conversation, is a highly demanding discipline requiring technical perfection, stamina, and concentration. Nitin has shown all three in abundance and crucially, the hunger to bounce back stronger with every race.
He has already become a Junior National Record holder in both 5km and 10km race walks, claimed gold at the Junior Federation Cup, and made it to the top 15 in global rankings for his age category in just six months. That’s not just consistency; that’s a blueprint for long-term excellence.
What Lies Ahead
With the World U20 Championships and Asian U20 events looming in the second half of the season, Nitin will have ample opportunities to further raise his profile. A sub-40 in the 10km event already puts him in contention to challenge the continental elite. If nurtured with care through smart scheduling, injury prevention, and international exposure India may just have a future global medallist on its hands.
As of now, he remains grounded and hungry. In a season filled with milestones, Nitin Gupta is no longer a name for the future he is the standout of the present.
And at just 17, the race has only just begun.
Nitin Gupta – 2025 Highlights So Far:
- 🥈 Silver in 5km Race Walk Asian U18 Championships, Dammam
- First Indian U18 to go sub-20 min in 5km Race Walk
- Gold in 10km Race Walk – Junior Federation Cup, Prayagraj
- 39:46.78 – New National Record in 10km
- 11th in 2025 World Lead, 4th in Asian Lead, 4th Fastest Indian All-Time
The road to international glory is long and testing but Nitin Gupta has already shown he has the legs and the heart to walk it.
