Mohan Khan and Najmun Nahar Beauty were crowned he fastest man and woman of Bangladesh after ending men’s and women’s 100-metre sprint on the opening day of 36th National Athletic Championship on Tuesday.
Army athlete, who took the crown for the first time, clocked 10.56 second while Beauty regained the title after a year’s gap clocking 12.10 seconds.
Mohan was, however, benefitted from the absence of the last year’s winner Azharul Islam, who skipped the meet for a knee injury.
The timing of Beauty was frustrating as she was nowhere near her personal best of 11.60 seconds.
He blamed the uneven track at the Bangabandhu National Stadium for her poor timing. ‘I have always prayed to God so that I get the number five lane because only that lane had no holes in it.’
‘I got it in the end but still had to stay cautious which reduced my speed,’ she said.
The ace sprinter who won this title seven times is, however, happy to have salvaged her position beating the last year’s champion Samsun Nahar Chumki.
The newly crowned fastest man Mohan won a bronze in this event in his first appearance in 2006 but he had to leave running after that because of knee injury.
All the athletes along with the Bangladesh Athletic Federation officials complained of bad condition of the athletic turf to
the state minister for youth and sports, Ahad Ali Sarker, who inaugurated the event.
The minister promised that the track would be repaired and the venue would no longer be used for any purposes that could be harmful.
Eleven events held on the opening day with the Bangladesh Army leading the medal’s list with four golds, one silver and four bronzes.
Gold medallists of the events are Shapla Khatun of the Ansars and VDP in women’s long jump, Sergeant Azharul Islam of the Bangladesh Army in discuss throw, Sajub Hossain of the BJMC in high jump, Roksana Yasmin Happy of the BJMC in shot put, Rashedujjaman of the Bangladesh Army in javelin throw, Afjal Hossain Turjo of the Bangladesh Air Force in 400-metre hurdles, Mohan Khan of the Bangladesh Army in 100-meter sprint, Najmun Nahar Beauty of the BJMC in 100-metre women’s sprint, Sumita Rani Das of the Bangladesh Jail in 100-metre hurdles and Rowshan Ara Putul and Selim Miah in 800-metre marathon.
Courtesy of New Age
