Finally, some good news came for India from the track, when Kavita Raut brought India’s first medal in athletics by winning the bronze in the women’s 10,000m event. Kavita clocked 33:05.28 minutes to give the spectators a reason to cheer for India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Friday.
The gold and silver was won by Kenyans Kwamboka Momanyi (32:34.11s) and Chepkwemo Changeywo (32:36.97s).
Kavita got a good start and maintained the lead till the 4,000m mark, before India’s Preeja Sreedharan overtook. Later, the Indians lost the lead to Chepkwemo and then to Kwamboka, to finish third.
At the 8,000m mark, Kavita lost grip and was fourth, but then she pulled herself up to finish third. “I feel I could have run better than this. We have been working hard since last two years for this and I feel I didn’t run according to my preparation. But I am happy to win the medal for my country,” said Kavita, who hails from Nashik district.
“I will not say that it was a tough competition, as we were prepared for it. If I had performed according to my calibre, result would have been different,” she added.
India’s Prajusha Maliakkal missed out on the bronze in the women’s triple jump event after she jumped 13.72m to break Mayookha Mathalikunnel’s national record of 13.68m. She stood fourth after Jamaica’s Kaye Smith jumped 14.19m for gold and Trinidad’s Ayanna Alexander bagged silver by clearing 13.91m.
In the men’s 110m hurdles event, England made a clean sweep by winning all three medals. Andy Turner timed 13.38 sec to win the gold, while William Sharman (13.50 sec) and Lawrence Clarke (13.70 sec) won silver and bronze respectively. Olympic gold medallist Nancy Langat from Kenya created a new Games record finishing the 1,500m race in 4:05.26. She broke Kenya’s Jackline Maranga’s 12-year-old record of 4:05.27. New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin clocked 4:05.97 and Stephanie Twell of Scotland 4:06.15 to win silver and bronze respectively.
