National record holder Sandeep Kumar was going strong at second position till near the halfway mark but he faded later on to finish 23rd with a below-par timing in the men’s 20km race walk event here on Thursday.

Kumar, 35, crossed the finish line in 1 hour 25 minute and 7 seconds, well outside his national record time of 1:20:16 which he had clocked in February to qualify for the Olympics.