Lankans dominate track
Sri Lankans Himasha Eashan and RMRK Rathnayaka hogged the limelight on the first day of the track and field event after becoming the fastest man and woman of South Asia, while Bangladesh's fastest man Mezbah Ahmed and fastest woman Shirin Akter frustrated at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium yesterday.
Himasha created a new game record, clocking 10.28 seconds to win the gold medal. The previous record was 10.37 seconds, set by Indian Anil Kumar in 1999 Kathmandu SA Games.
Mezbah became fourth among eight sprinters, taking 10.82 seconds -- 00.13 seconds more than the bronze-medal winner Alm Ashrafu of Sri Lanka. Mezbah failed to beat his previous best of 10.75.
Bangladesh, who had won 100m sprint thrice in last 11 editions, saw another failed attempt from Mezbah, who did not even turn up to the mixed zone to talk to media. Mahbub Alam was the last Bangladeshi sprinter who won a bronze medal from 1999 SA Games.
"I am happy to win the 100m sprint with a Games record. My first target was to win the 100m sprint in my maiden appearance, which was achieved. And my second target is to qualify for the Rio Olympics," said Himasaha after entering the history of South Asian games. The 22-year-old athlete became the fifth fastest Sri Lankan man in the SA Games.
On the other hand, Sri Lankan RMRK Rathnayaka followed her compatriot Himasha to win the gold medal in women's 100m sprint with a time of 11.71 seconds.
Bangladeshi Shohagi Akter and Shirin Sultana bettered their times to become sixth and seventh, clocking 12.43 and 12.97 seconds. Meanwhile high jumpers Mahfuzur Rahman, Kamrul Hasan and Sumi Akter frustrated with their poor performances.
However, Bangladesh did claim some medals disciplines like archery, kho-kho, swimming and badminton. Two bronze medals came from men's and women's kho kho event, while the third silver medal of the day was produced in the Recurve mixed team event in Shillong.
The team comprising Beauty Roy and Sajib Sheikh lost 6-0 to India in the gold-medal deciding match, while the men's recurve team won a bronze medal after beating Nepal 6-2. The recurve women team failed to qualify for the semifinals.
The Bangladesh archery federation had high hopes in the recurve bow events but the archers, under their foreign coach, once again failed to meet expectations.
The swimmers yesterday produced three more bronze medals to rise the tally to two gold and nine bronze medals. Jewel Ahmed and Sonia Akter won bronze medal in men's and women's 200m butterfly while there was another bronze in the 2X400 freestyle relay where Mahfizur Rahman, Jewel Ahmed, Anik Islam and Asif Hossain competed.
It was however a disappointment for weightlifter Jahura Khatun, who became fourth despite lifting the equal amount of weights along with bronze-medalist Devi Pun. Devi was declared the winner as he weighed less than Jahura.
Bangladesh now have three gold, eight silver and 27 bronze medals while India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have 76, 17 and five gold medals respectively.
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