Hosts India won a total of fourteen medals including five gold, six silver and three bronze on the opening day of the 4th South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) Senior Athletics Championships in Ranchi, yesterday. The games got off to a spectacular start at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Morabadi. In the Men’s Five Thousand metre race, India’s Prince Kumar clocked 14:22.17 seconds to bag the first gold medal of the championship. Prince outpaced Sri Lanka’s Vakshan Vicknaraj, who won silver. The bronze medal went to Nepal’s Mukesh Bahadur Pal.

 

 

In the Women’s Five Thousand metre race, Sanjana Singh clinched the gold medal, followed by the compatriot Seema, who took silver, marking a 1-2 finish for India in the event.

In Men’s Shot Put, Samardeep Singh Gill, the flagbearer of Team India during the opening ceremony, delivered a throw of 19.59 metres to win the gold medal. Silver was also bagged by India as Ravi Kumar finished second and Sri Lanka’s Mithunraj won bronze.

 

 

In the Women’s Shot Put, India’s Yogita secured Gold and Shiksha won silver. Poorva Sawant won Silver in Women’s Triple Jump. In 4X400 metres mixed relay race also Indian sprinters claimed gold.