Basanta Bahadur Rana : International Athlete from India

Basanta Bahadur Rana is a 30-year-old racewalker of Gorkha Soldier in Gorkha Regiment of the Indian Army. Basanta is a natural athlete whose athletic skills came to the fore after he joined the army in 2000. A former football player with the Indian army, he came to race walking after an ankle injury forced him to quit football in 2006. In his very first competition, he showed that he had a natural affinity for the sport and was soon spotted by former Indian champion and coach, Gurdev Singh who started training him for the 2012 Olympics. Coming from a very humble background in Nepal, Basanta has had to struggle to fulfil his Olympic dreams. Like Irfan, he also could not afford to buy proper shoes for the event on his meager sepoy salary and it was only after the media highlighted their plight that help came forward which enabled him to purchase the shoes. Basanta qualified for the Olympics at the 2012 IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Saransk, Russia. Though he finished 36th in the 50km race walk event in the Olympics, he beat the previous national record by his mentor and coach, Gurdev Singh, setting a new national record of 3:56:48.

Career Highlights:

• Represented India in the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow
• - National record in at the Olympic Games 2012, London
• - National record in at the 25th World Race Walking Cup,Sarahanska, May 2012
• - Silver Medal at the Dublin Grand Prix, Ireland, 2011
• - Bronze Medal at the Indian Grand Prix, 2011
• - Represented India at the Russian Invitation Meet, 2010
• - Represented India at theEuropean Grand Prix Russia, 2008
• - Represented India in the 23rd World Race Walking Cup 2008,Chebokrary, Russia
• - Gold Medal at the Indian Grand Prix, 2008

2012 Summer Olympics 

Basanta qualified for the Olympics at the 2012 IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Saransk, Russia in May 2012, with a B qualifying standard. He was trained by the former national record holder Gurdev Singh. In the 1960 Olympics at Rome, Zora Singh was 8th clocking 4:37:44.6s. Basanta finished 36th in the event by setting a new national record of 3:56:48. By setting this record, Basanta broke the previous national record of 4:16:22 clocked by his mentor Gurdev Singh who had set it in Hyderabad in 2005.