Sports

After shot put, she shatters javelin record

After shot put, she shatters javelin record

By Sanjeev Kumar Shah

Chandra Kala Lamgade of Nepal Police Club on the way to setting the javelin record during the 7th National Games at Itahari Stadium, in Sunsari, on Sunday, December 25, 2016. Photo: THT

Sunsari, December 25 Nepal Police Club athlete Chandra Kala Lamgade shattered the second national record in two days in the seventh National Games here at Itahari Stadium today. Lamgade set the new national record on her way to win the women’s javelin throw gold medal. Lamgade covered a distance of 43.94 metres to better her own mark of 43.90 metres that she set during the selection tournament for the 12th South Asian Games last year. Lamgade was more than happy to have broken two national records in two days. “I had trained myself with an aim of breaking the national record and I am happy that I could achieve the feat,” said Lamgade, who hails from Taplejung. On Saturday, Lamgade became the first participant to break the national record by throwing 11.56 metres in the women’s shot put. Lamgade was initiated into javelin throw only three years ago by NPC coach Narendra Jung Shah. She was originally picked for shot put. But Shah encouraged her to train for both the events. “I started javelin throw after coach Shah convinced me that I could do better in the discipline and he trained me for the sport. I am grateful for his support,” said Lamgade, who wishes to win medals in the 13th South Asian Games to be held in Nepal in 2019. “My performance in the 12th SA Games was not up to the mark and I failed to win medals. But I am training hard to excel in the next edition of the regional meet,” she added. Lamgade had also featured in the sixth National Games held in the far-western region in 2012 where she finished fourth in shot put. Lamgade came into limelight when she broke Manu Shrestha’s 29-year-old record in shot put last year. With a throw of 10.75 metres, Lamgade shattered Shrestha’s mark of 10.69 metres set during the 1986 national athletics meet. She bettered that mark yesterday. Chandra Kala is the seventh child of Anuraj and Bishnu Maya and feels lucky to get support from her family despite facing daily hardships. “My parents always encourage me to do better,” said Lamgade, who also played football a few years ago. “I played district-level football but switched to shot put six years ago,” she added.