Mahfuza misses again

She was only disappointed when she missed the women's 50m breaststroke by a whisker on the opening day of the swimming competition of the 11th SA Games on Friday. But Mahfuza Khatun was shell-shocked and failed to control her emotions after yet another near miss -- this time in the 100m breaststroke at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur yesterday.
The 22-year-old natant from Jessore burst into tears soon after she finished second for the second time in three days. And that silver also ensured Bangladesh would pass another day in the pool without a gold.
And it was Sri Lanka's Minekasashmini Natasha Karunarathne, who again broke the heart of Mahfuza and denied the Indians of a sweeping success on the third day of the competition by winning the women's 100m breaststroke gold with a timing of 01:18.60sec.
Mahfuza fought neck-and-neck before falling inches short as she clocked 01:18.76sec.
"It was hard for me to check back my emotions because I was confident this time that I would do it today. It's simply bad luck because the height again ultimately made the difference," said Mahfuza.
Bangladesh's veteran swimmer Dolly Akhter bagged the bronze clocking 01:19.39sec.
And as usual the day belonged to India, who set the pool afire from the very first day, for the third day running as they improved their gold tally to 12 after winning four gold medals on the day out of five at stake and set two new Games records. Sri Lanka took the other three gold medals.