By Kelsey Burr

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Siblings Shyna and Saiin Patel are quickly becoming race walk phenomenons. The brother and sister duo from North Wales, Pennsylvania competed with their Ambler Olympic Club at the 2022 AAU Junior Olympic Games – and both took home the gold in their respective divisions for the 1500-meter race walk.

Shyna won the 12-year-old girls 1500m race walk with a time of 8 minutes, 52.17 seconds, which was a new personal record. She was the only girl, of all ages, to officially break 9 minutes in the 1500m distance.

“It felt really good, because I really wanted to win,” Shyna said of her gold-medal winning performance.

Shyna Patel pulls ahead of the competition in the 1500m race walk. Photo credit: MileSplit

Saiin crushed the competition in the 9-year-old boys 1500m race walk, finishing with a personal record time of 8:40.08. He beat the second and third place finishers by two minutes – the second-place time was 10:49.95.

“I expected it, because I was two minutes in front of everyone that I was going against at regionals. So, I knew I was going to get it,” Saiin said, when asked how he felt about his win.

Saiin Patel was in a world of his own in the 1500m race walk.

Shyna and Saiin each started track and field when they were five years old.

“I just really liked running, so that’s what made me want to compete,” Shyna said.

“I just kind of had a lot of energy when I was that age, and found a way to use it,” Saiin added.

After a few years, their dad and coach, Samir, thought they should start training for race walking – and what a fateful decision it was. Both Patels have really found their stride. Shyna got second place the first time she ever competed in a race walk, and Saiin got first.

So, what exactly is race walking? It’s much more than the walking you do in your everyday life. It’s a highly technical track event that’s been in the Olympics since 1904. Mastering the technique is the first step in becoming a race-walking champion – the pace comes after.

In race walking, unlike with running, an athlete must always have one foot in contact with the ground. The athlete’s knee of their advanced leg can’t bend, and the leg must straighten as the body passes over it. Judges are present throughout the track to ensure the rules are enforced. If an athlete receives three penalties during a race, they’re disqualified.

“To me, race walking technique is much harder than running technique, because you have to constantly be snapping your knees back, and keeping your knees straight, and all this stuff – running, all you have to do is just like, move,” Shyna said.

While race walking is how their names are becoming known, both siblings compete in other track and field events as well. Saiin also competed in the triathlon, the 1500m run, and the high jump (where he won bronze), and Shyna competed in the 3000m run and high jump.
With the AAU Junior Olympic Games completed, both siblings are looking towards their next goals.

“I really want to get a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, because that’s the school I want to go to,” Shyna said.

“I really want to get a good scholarship, and I want to try getting, this year or next year, under 8 minutes in the 1500m race walk,” Saiin said.

Only one American has ever medaled in any Olympic race walk – Larry Young won bronze in the men’s 50km walk in 1968 and 1972. Maybe one day, we’ll see Saiin or Shyna Patel add to that history.