Rio Olympics-bound Sudha Singh on Saturday shattered the national record in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase event, finishing eighth in the second leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meet in Shanghai
Rio Olympics-bound Sudha Singh on Saturday shattered the national record in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase event, finishing eighth in the second leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meet in Shanghai.
Sudha, who qualified for the Rio Games during the Federation Cup national athletics championships in New Delhi last month, clocked 9 minute 26.55 seconds to better the national record of 9:27.09 held by her training-mate and another Olympics-bound athlete, Lalita Babar.
Reigning Asian champion Babar was 13th in a disappointing 9:43.30 among 14 women who finished the race.
World championships gold-medallist Hyvin Kiyeng Jepkemoi of Kenya won the race in a personal best timing of 9:07.42 while 2014 Asian Games champion Ruth Jebet of Bahrain finished second in a new continental record timing of 9:15.98.
London Olympics bronze medallist Assefa Sofia of Ethiopia was third with 9:21.07.
Meanwhile, US sprinter Justin Gatlin (9.94sec) sailed to victory in the men’s 100-metres, carrying him one step closer to an Olympic showdown with his great rival Usain Bolt.
