NAGPUR: “I badly wanted to win this yellow metal... feeling ecstatic after achieving my best timing,” said
Sayali Waghmare
after winning her first gold medal in the All India Inter-University Athletics Championship at the ANU Campus in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday.
The
Dharampeth College athlete
underlined her supremacy in the 800m race of the
78th All India competition
. It also took 78 long years for Nagpur University to win a gold medal in the 800m race. None of Nagpur University athletes have ever won gold in the 800m.
On her way to glory, and giving an appropriate end to her season’s dazzling performance, the promising city runner clocked two minutes and 09.90 seconds for her best timing in the 800m. Her previous best in the 800m race was 2.11.01minute that she achieved while finishing second in the All India Inter-University meet at Manglore in 2015.
After winning a gold medal in the U-20 National athletics meet at Ranchi in 2014, Sayali missed the yellow metal on many occasions by a whisker. Determined to break the three-year jinx, Sayali forgot the pain of the hamstring injury she has been suffering since last six months.
On previous two occasions of the All India University athletics meet, Sayali had to satisfy with a silver medal each. In a chat with TOI, Sayali said, “I have been waiting for this since last many years. This is the first time I was able to achieve this timing. As I have worked hard for this I am feeling on top of the world now.”
(Sayali with her coach and mentor)
Giving the credit of her success to parents and all her well-wishers, Sayali said, “Since my treatment was going on, I wasn’t very confident but the psychology sessions from Bhau Kane sir played a key role, while my coach Jeetendra Sir supported me all the time. Looking at the conditions and my injury I am satisfied with my performance here.”
Sayali’s coach Ghordadekar too was elated with her ward’s performance. “Since we have worked really hard, I was confident that this time she will claim the gold with her best timing. Her hamstring injury was a concern but we took all the precautions before and after the race.”
He added, “Since Sayali is running continuously and was suffering this injury, she had always complained about pain but we all just motivated her and after the race, she just asked me, how I ran sir?”
Sayali explained, “Till the 550 meters, I was following the two leaders from Amritsar. I slowly came at par with them after the 500m distance and in the final 120 meters, I accelerated my speed for the triumph.” Sayali was followed by
Twinkle Choudhary
(2.10:62) of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and
K Priya
(2.10:76) from the University of Madras, Chennai, on the podium.
Start a Conversation
Post comment