Rakibul, Shirin take 200m crowns

Rakibul Hasan and Shirin Akter of Bangladesh Navy bagged gold medals in the 200m sprint events on the concluding day of the Sultana Kamal-Olila Group 16th National Summer Athletics Championship at the Bangladesh Army Stadium yesterday.

Rakibul clocked 21.49 seconds to win the 200m men's sprint title while 12-time fastest female sprinter of the country, Shirin, took 25.7 seconds to win the women's title. Shirin had, on the previous day, regained the 100m sprint title.

Jannat Begum of Bangladesh Army set a new national record in women's javelin throw, clearing 46.06 metres and eclipsing the previous record of 45.14 metres by a distance.

Bangladesh Navy also topped the medals table with 20 gold, 13 silver and nine bronze medals. Bangladesh Army followed them close behind with 19 gold, 19 silver and 13 bronze medals. Bangladesh Ansar & VDP finished a distant third with one gold, two silver and eight bronze medals.

Bangladesh Army's Imranur Rahman, the fastest man of the country, was adjudged the best male athlete by Bangladesh Athletes' Association, who adjudged Umme Hafsa Rumki of Bangladesh Navy as the best female athlete of the meet.