Bharati breaks 5,000m record

Kathmandu, August 13:

Nirmala Bharati clocked 18 minutes 6.92 seconds to set the new national record in the women’s 5,000m race here at Dasharath Stadium today. The Nepal Police athlete beat seven other runners at the National Open Men’s 10,000m and Women’s 5000m Race while winning the gold medal breaking Raj Kumari Pandey’s 18-year-old record of 18:23.99 set at Asian Track and Field Competition held in Singapore. The second and third spots also went to Nepal Police, with Chhaya Khatri completing the race in 18:43.42 and Bishnu Kumari Kafle finishing with the timings of 19:3.89. Arjun Prasad Dhakal of Gyanendra Armed Police Force (APF) Officers’ Club won the men’s 10,000m gold completing the race in 31 minutes and 17.36 seconds. Akkal Bahadur Bohar, also from APF, won the second place in 31:50.11 while the third spot went to Tribhuvan Army Club’s Uttam Khatri, who came in 32:10.31. In all, 27 runners took part in the event. Kishor Bahadur Sing, member secretary of National Sports Council, and other officials gave away prizes to the winners of the event organised by Nepal Amateur Athletics Association.