CWG athletics: Vikas Gowda wins silver in discus throw

NEW DELHI - India’s Vikas Gowda brought the country a silver medal in the men’s discus throw event of the track and field competition by hurling the disc 63.69 metres at the Commonwealth Games here Sunday.

Some 40,000 spectators at the majestic Jawaharlal Nehru stadium had their money’s worth as 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 63.69 m.

Gowda, who grew up in Maryland in the US, could never better his mark in the remaining four attempts as Herradine raised the bar with his best throw of 65.45 m on the fourth effort.

Cheered by the crowd, the 27-year-old Gowda, who returned from an injury earlier this year, took the victory lap draped in the tri-colour, adding to the weekend festive mood in the gallery.