Olympics-bound lalita Babar on Friday smashed her own national record to win the gold while Sudha Singh (in pic.) also qualified for the Rio Games while winning silver in women’s 3000m steeplechase on the second and penultimate day of the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships here.
Rajiv Arokiya set the second national record of the day while winning the gold in men’s 400m race with a time of 45.47secs, missing the Rio Olympics qualification standard of 45.40secs by 0.7secs.
Sudha’s was the first Olympic qualifying effort in the Championships. Two national records were created on the first day with Dutee Chand (women’s 100m) and Amiya Kumar Mallick (men’s 100m), both from Odisha, clocking 11.33secs and 10.26secs respectively.
Maharashtra’s Babar, who has already qualified for the Olympics in both the 3000m steeplechase and marathon, clocked 9:27.09 to win the gold and set the national record in world leading time while Sudha, representing Uttar Pradesh, came up with a timing of 9:31.86 and bettered the Rio Games qualification standard of 9:45.00.
The performance of Asian champion Babar was also remarkable as she recorded the world leading time though it is very early in season.
Sudha has also qualified for the Olympics in marathon but Athletics Federation of Indian officials said that both she and Babar will compete in 3000m steeplechase in Rio and not in marathon race. The officials said that 3000m steeplechase has better chance for the duo doing better in the Olympics than competing in marathon.
Meanwhile, Arokiya of Tamil Nadu ran the best ever 400m race in India by an Indian by clocking 45.47sec. The earlier national record of 45.48secs was in the name of K M Binu of Kerala, set in 2004 Olympics.
In women’s discus throw, 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia, who was returning to top-flight competition after a long injury lay-off, won the gold with an effort of 55.09m.