CWG athletics: Silver winners Vikas, Prajusha bring cheer for India (Roundup)

NEW DELHI - India had their best-ever day in the Commonwealth Games track and field competition Sunday, picking up two silver medals from men’s discus and women’s long jump here Sunday.

And with a bit of luck, the hosts could have finished with a gold and a silver.

A strained calf muscle prevented women’s long jumper M.A. Prajusha from winning a rare gold in the track and field competition and she had to be content with a silver.

Vikas Gowda brought the country its first silver medal of the day and also in the ongoing edition of the Games giving the 40,000 odd Sunday crowd at the majestic Jawaharlal Nehru stadium much to cheer for.

Till the start of the last round in the long jump, the 23-year-old Kerala girl was leading the field, courtesy her best throw of 6.47 metre in the fourth round.

However, a calf muscle strain saw the Thrissur-born Railway employee make a foul jump in the fifth and leap a poor 6.26m in her final attempt.

The crowd waited with baited breath as five of the jumpers failed to better Prajusha’s show, but ultimately Alice Falaiye of Canada overtook Prajusha in her sixth and last attempt by jumping 6.50 metres.

As Prajusha - whose personal best in the event is 6.55 m - started gearing up for her last jump, the crowd backed her full-throttle, but the calf injury prevented her from going flat out and the chances of a gold evaporated.

Charles Tabia of Canada took the bronze with a 6.24 metre leap.

“I am very happy. But due to the calf problem, I could not do well in the last two jumps,” Prajusha, who had finished fourth in the triple jump Friday, said after her event.

Gowda, who came back from a knee injury earlier this year, finished on the podium by hurling the disc 63.69m.

The Mysore-born US-based Gowda took the second place after a stiff competition from Australian Benn Harradine, who took the gold with his best throw of 65.45m. Canada’s Carl Andrew Myerscough took the bronze with a throw of 60.64m.

The Indian led the field after the first round with a 62.84m effort, which was over two metres longer than Herradine’s first throw of 60.18 m.

However, the Australian had an improved throw of 64.73m in his second attempt, which dislodged Gowda from the first position though the Indian came up with his season’s best throw of 63.69m.

Gowda, who grew up in Maryland in the US, could not better his mark in the remaining four attempts as Harradine raised the bar with his best throw of 65.45m on the fourth effort.

Cheered by the crowd, the 27-year-old Gowda, took the victory lap draped in the tri-colour, adding to the weekend festive mood in the gallery.

However, things took an unexpected turn soon after, as Gowda lashed out at the authorities for denying his father-cum-personal coach Shive Gowda a pass.

The heavily built Gowda said he was “satisfied” and “happy” with his performance but “very unhappy” about the authorities’ attitude.

“With no other way out, he bought a ticket and look, there he is seated in the gallery to watch me in action,” Gowda said, pointing to a particular spot in the galleries.

“I am fed up with the series of problems which are continuing for the last three years,” said the Godwa.

Tintu Luka, a hot medal prospect in women’s 800m, also advanced to the final by winning her heat in 2:02.73.

In men’s 200m, Ronald Baptiste of England sprinted to the gold in 20.45 seconds, while Winston Spence of Jamaica took the silver in a 20.49 seconds finish. Christian Malcolm of Wales won the silver clocking 20.52 seconds.