Nisar Ahmad, Avantika Narale crowned fastest male and female in Khelo India Games
Nisar Ahmad had recently grabbed media attention after being chosen to train in the Kingston academy of Usain Bolt’s coach, Glen Mills. Ahmad clocked 10.76 to win the 100m, an impressive effort considering he had to run twice in 20 minutes.
Delhi’s Nisar Ahmad emerged the fastest male runner in the inaugural edition of the Khelo India School Games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday. Ahmad clocked 10.76 to win the 100m, an impressive effort considering he had to run twice in 20 minutes.
The girls’ 100m title went to Maharashtra’s Avantika Narale, clocking 12.36 secs. Delhi claimed the second gold of Friday as Shahnawaz Khan won the high jump, clearing 2.01m.
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Nisar Ahmad, son of an autorickshaw driver whose poor family lives near the railway tracks, had recently grabbed media attention after being chosen to train in the Kingston academy of Usain Bolt’s coach, Glen Mills.
The Delhi sprinter had to postpone the trip to Jamaica to compete in Khelo India. In the final, Ahmad didn’t hear the recall whistle following a false start and ran the entire race all out. The re-run was pushed back by 20 minutes to help the runners recover, and Ahmad made it count, after Karan Hegiste of Karnataka, his main rival, was disqualified for a false start. Karnataka’s VA Shashikant (10.90) and Haryana’s Govind Kumar (10.95) were second and third respectively.
Sports minister, RVS Rathore, gave away the medals. Ahmad was delighted he would be receiving a handsome scholarship.
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“I want to use this scholarship to explode the myth that Indians can’t run under 10 seconds (100m). I had to delay my trip to Jamaica and it affected my training. I will now leave tomorrow. The first time I was so focused I did not hear the recall whistle.”
Uttarakhand’s Anu Kumar continued to dominate middle distance, completing a double. On Friday, he won the boys 800m, clocking 1 min, 52.08 secs. He had won the 1500m gold on the opening day. The girls’ two-lap race was won by Tai Bamhane of Maharashtra at 2:13.37 secs.
Pooja’s double
In the throwing arena, Haryana’s Pooja completed a double after she won the discus throw with a distance of 41.01m, adding to her victory in shot put. Ikram Ali Khan of Madhya Pradesh won the boys’ discus event (51.39m).
In the girls 3,000m, Seema of Himachal Pradesh emerged winner at 10min, 15.15 secs. Gujarat’s Vishal Makwana claimed the boys’ event, clocking 8min 48.79 secs.
Punga Soren of Odisha clocked 14.12 secs to win 110m hurdles, while Kerala’s Aparna Roy was winner of 100m hurdles in the girls group. She clocked 14.02 secs.
