New Delhi
Promising middle distance runner Laxita Vinod Sandilea and low hurdler Shreeya Rajesh won silver and bronze medals, respectively, on the penultimate day of the 21st Asian U20 Athletics Championships being held in Dubai. According to information reaching here, India’s overall medal tally swelled to 18 medals, including six gold, seven silver and five bronze medals.
After a not so encouraging morning session, Indian athletes raised the bar in the evening session to swell the medal tally to 18, including six gold.
Harshit Kumar claimed gold (66.70m) in men’s hammer throw, and Prateek won bronze (65.97m). The mixed 4x400m relay team won silver with a time of 3:24.86 seconds.
Indian team also excelled in track races. Shreeya Rajesh ran a well-judged pace to sail over the barriers, but eventually settled for a bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 59.20 seconds. Jeyavindhiya Jegadish finished sixth in the 400m hurdles. Her time was 1:02.06 seconds.
Talented middle distance runner Laxita Vinod Sandilea lived up to her reputation but had to contend with a silver in the women’s 800m. Her silver-medal winning time was 2:07.10 seconds. Tanvi Malik however, finished sixth in 800m. She clocked 2:13.42.
The morning session didn’t go on expected lines for the Indian team as Sachin finished fourth in the men’s 10,000m race walk. His time was 45:50.56. Himanshu, the second Indian race walker was disqualified.
Indian duo of Nadini and Anushka finished fifth (56.99m) and sixth (55.81m) respectively, in the women’s hammer throw.
However, in the women’s 100m hurdles heats both Sabita Toppo (14.10 seconds) and Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland (13.72 seconds) advanced to the medal round.
The men’s 4x100m relay team also advanced to the medal round. The Indian team finished second in their heat with a time of 40.43 seconds.
The evening session was more productive.
