Asian U-20 Athletics: India’s medal tally swells

IMAGE: Laxita lived up to her reputation but had to contend with a silver in the women’s 800m. Photograph: Athletics Federation of India/X

Promising middle distance runner Laxita Vinod Sandilea and low hurdler Shreeya Rajesh won silver and bronze medals, respectively, on the penultimate day of the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Dubai on Friday.

India’s overall medal tally thus swelled to 15 medals, including five gold, six silver and five bronze.

After a not so encouraging morning session, Indian athletes raised the bar in the evening.

The competition is in progress and more medals are expected at the end of the session.

Shreeya 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, while Jeyavindhiya Jegadish finished sixth. Her time was 1:02.06 seconds.

Laxita 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. The 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.