In the 22nd Asian Under-20 Athletics Championships, India delivered a historic campaign in Hong Kong, finishing second in the standings with 19 medals – 10 gold, five silver and four bronze. The runner-up finish marked India’s best-ever performance at the continental track and field championships outside home soil. Mogali Venkatram claimed gold in the Men’s 800 metres yesterday.

 

Earlier, the women’s 4×100 m relay team of Kajal, Bhavana, Aarti and Nipam secured the silver medal. The women’s relay team produced the junior national record with timings of 45.05 seconds. The Indian 4×400 metre relay team of Bhumika, Tahura, Sehnoor and Neeru also secured a gold. The men’s relay team also made the nation proud in the 4×400 metre relay as Piyush Raj, Sayed Sabeer, Ranjith Kumar S and Mohammed Ashfaq secured a bronze medal. 

 

A total of 48 Indian athletes, 30 men and 18 women competed in the tournament held from 28th to 31th of last month. The championships are serving as a qualifying event for the World Under-20 Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held in Eugene, Oregon, in the United States from the 5th to the 9th of August.