Inderjeet Singh becomes first Indian to bag athletics gold in World University Games

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Gwangju (Korea): Star athlete Inderjeet Singh set a new benchmark as he became the first Indian to grab a gold in athletics in the World University Games thus, creating history. He won the medal in men's shot put event in Gwangju, Korea on Wednesday.

In addition, Indian men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol team also bagged a bronze medal that made India's total medal count as four (one gold, one silver, two bronze) on the fifth day of competition.

The 27-year-old Asian champion Inderjeet won the event with his final throw of 20.27m at the Gwangju Universiade Main Stadium to get the first gold medal in the Games. He was at the second spot after the fifth throw as he had a 19.80m best throw till then. In his final attempt, he came up with 20.27m to final bag the gold. He had won silver in the last edition in 2013 in Russia. But finally this time he turned silver to gold.

Subsequently, Andrei Marius Gag of Romania bagged the silver with a best throw of 19.92m while Alexander Bulanov of Russia took the bronze with a throw 19.84m.

The Haryana shot putter has had a phenomenal year with five gold medals in all five international events he has participated so far in 2015. Among his list of achievements is the victory in Asian Championships in China with 20.41m throw before bagging a gold in each of the three legs of the Asian Grand Prix in Thailand last month. He also won a bronze in the Asian Games last year with 19.63m throw.

"I would like to thank the Almighty, my family and my coach Mr Pritam Singh for their support. I am looking forward to the World Athletics Championship in China next month, where I hope to better my personal best," said Inderjeet, who is being supported by Anglian Medal Hunt Company, after winning the gold.