Sudha bags India`s second gold in athletics

Guangzhou, November 21: In a sparkling show, Sudha Singh fetched India`s second gold medal in track and field events and fifth overall by winning the 3000m Steeplechase event with her personal-best timing on Sunday.

Sudha made up for her poor outing at last month`s Commonwealth Games, clocking 9:55.67s to take the honours at the Aoti Main Stadium on Sunday.

Sudha`s previous personal best timing was 9:57.63s which she recorded in the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Yuan Jin of China won the silver with a timing of 9:55.71s while Japan`s Minori Hayakari bagged the bronze (10:01.25s).

The other Indian in the fray, Jaisha Orchatteri Puthiya Veetil finished a disappointing fifth in the six-competitor event with a timing of 10:18.97s.

Earlier in the day, India clinched both gold and silver in the women`s 10,000m.

Top long-distance runner Preeja Sreedharan clinched the gold medal with a personal best of 31:50:47s while Kavita Raut, who won the bronze in the same event at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, walked away with the silver also with a personal best timing of 31:51.44s.

Sreedharan, who had finished fifth in both the 5000m and the 10,000m in the last edition of the Games at Doha in 2006, raised her performance to give India a flying start in track and field competition.

–PTI