Uzzal, Tanzila fastest sprinters
Uzzal Chandra Sutradhar of Narshingdi and Tanzila Akter of BKSP became the fastest sprinters in their respective 100m dashes in the adolescent category of the 32nd National Junior Athletics Championship at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Uzzal, who hails from Kishoreganj but participated for Narshingdi district, clocked 10:83 seconds to become the fastest, beating BKSP's Zahir Raihan and Marconi Joy by a fair distance. The 19-year-old sprinter, who had become champion in the boys' category of the same event in 2013, was happy to have beaten competitors from BKSP.
“It's always a special feeling if you can beat the participants of BKSP. I'm glad I could do that. I have trained, along with 10 others, for one and a half months with BJMC coach Brojo Gopal Das,” said the youngster, who had also won a silver medal in long jump on the previous day.
Uzzal, who is a second-year student of Jessore Science and Technology University, said he wants to do a job in defence forces while his ultimate aim is to get into the national reckoning and do well at the South Asian Games.
Tanzila, meanwhile, said she was happy to have realised her dream of becoming the fastest sprinter in her age category after having failed in three previous attempts. The higher secondary school student from BKSP took 13:10seconds to win the gold, finishing 0.07 seconds ahead of her teammate Disha Sultana and 0.95 seconds ahead of Asha Khatun of Natore.
“I have participated three times previously in junior athletics and had won three silver medals in 2013. But this is the first time I won the first prize in 100m sprint, which was always my dream,” said the girl who hails from Sujanagar in Pabna.
Tanzila, who also won silver medals in 200m sprint and high jump in the current championship, said her dream is to break the 100m national record currently held by Nazmun Nahar Beauty and the 200m national record held by Subarna Akter.
Meanwhile, only one new record was set on the second day of the championship yesterday, with BKSP's Sheuly Khatun setting a new record in 400m sprint clocking 1:65 minutes.