After CWG bronze, Harminder aims for Asian Games gold
By IANSSaturday, October 9, 2010
NEW DELHI - At a loss for words after having won a surprise bronze in the men’s 20km walk, India’s long distance runner Harminder Singh Saturday said he would now aim for the gold in the Asian Games next month.
The 26-year-old Patiala-born athlete, who used to run the 50km race earlier, was all smiles and almost in a state of disbelief after his success.
I feel happy to win my first medal in Commonwealth Games and in the 20km. I am so happy that I cannot find words to express my feelings,” he said.
Harminder clocked a personal best of 1:23:28 seconds for the bronze while Australian Jared Tallent clinched the gold medal with a Games record of 1:22:18 seconds. Another Australian Luke Adams clinched silver, clocking 1:22:31 seconds.
Harminder, an Armyman now posted in Hyderabad, took to the walk seven-eight years ago.
It has made my life. I am going to the Asian Games (at China’s Guangzhou) and I plan to win gold.”
On his failure to reach his personal best, Harminder said: I didn’t know the correct time. So I missed it.”
Asked how he kept himself inspired all these years,, Harminder said: “My coach (Gurdev Singh) says ‘You should do what no one else does’. When my coach first saw me he said ‘You have that quality and you can achieve it’.”
