Amlan Borgogain, Praveen Chithravel share limelight with Manju Bala Singh at Athletics Nationals

Amlan Borgohain burst out of the blocks and sped ahead of the pack to break the beam in 20.75 seconds.

Assam sprinter Amlan Borgohain, Tamil Nadu triple-jumper Praveen Chithravel and experienced Rajasthan hammer thrower Manju Bala Singh produced career-best efforts to emerge champions on the final day of the 60th National Open Athletics Championships, in Warangal on Sunday (September 19). Borgohain clocked a sensational time of 20.75 seconds to win the men's 200m final. Only Muhammed Anas Yahia (20.63), Dharambir Singh (20.66), Arokia Rajiv (20.66) and Anil Kumar (20.73) have run a faster time over the distance in the history of Indian athletics.

The 23-year-old, who has lived in Hyderabad since 2014, was running his first 200m competition at the National level in 20 months. He has been training at the Reliance Foundation Odisha Athletics High-Performance Centre (HPC) in Bhubaneswar since April 2020, decimated the rest of the field in a sizzling performance. Borgohain had won silver in the 100m earlier in the competition, clocking yet another PB of 10.34, but it was his standout performance  in the 200m on the final day of races that has established his credentials as among the most impressive young athletes in the country.

Borgohain burst out of the blocks and sped ahead of the pack to break the beam in 20.75 seconds. It was not only the first time that Borgohain stopped the clock inside 21 seconds but also a new meet record.