Latest news with #TaiwanOpenAthletics
Indian Express
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Hockey player turned-800m and 1500m runner Pooja hopes to max benefits of her impressive stride length
Twenty two-year-old middle distance runner Pooja is on a constant rise in 2025 winning four international medals in her first two international tournaments. The runner from Fatehabad, Haryana who features in 800m and 1500m won bronze medal in the 800m at Asian Athletics Championships last month clocking her personal best and silver in 1500m. She topped it with gold in both events at Taiwan Open Athletics. However, the youngster didn't start with Athletics as her first choice sport back in teenage. In 2017, 15-year-old Pooja stepped in the SAI Training Center, Badal (Punjab) after successfully clearing the hockey trials for the residential program run by the center. 'I started as a hockey player at the SAI Center. But one of the coaches of running, Saurabh sir spotted me and asked me turn to Athletics. Once I started running, I never looked back,' Pooja told The Indian Express. 'It was an interesting scenario of how she took up running. During her early days, the hockey coaches were absent for some days and I was asked to train them in basic drills. I took the kids for running and saw Pooja's perfect rhythm while running. After seeing her run, I asked her to take Athletics and she readily agreed,' Pooja's coach Saurabh Yadav recalled how she transitioned to athletics. After Pooja picked up athletics, she started with 2000m in the U-16 category and later switched to 800m and 1500m when she entered the U-18 category. 'I started from the very grassroots level. In 2019, I participated in the Asian U18 championships winning silver medal. I wasn't that mature at the junior level but the motivation to represent India kept me going,' said Pooja. While her performances at the junior level caught everyone's eyes, coach Saurabh believes that her adaptability makes her a very good potential in the middle distance running. 'We saw the potential in early days. Pooja's stride length and rhythm while running makes her a very good middle distance runner. Her stride length is accurate when it comes to running efficiently. Another good thing is that she can change pace according to the needs of the race,' said Saurabh, who has been training Pooja since start of her career. Pooja has benefited from the stiff competition at the national level in 800m and 1500m with the likes of Harmilan Bains, KM Deeksha, Chanda, and Lily Das constantly outperforming each other. 'We have a good competition at the National level. I have been running for more than four years in the senior circuit and the competition here prepared me for the international tournaments. So, when I took the field at Asian Athletics in Korea, I wasn't thinking of anything. Since, I have faced tough competition back at home, my only focus was to run with all my strength,' she explained. Pooja did her personal best in 800m when she clocked 2:01.89 to win bronze at the Asian Athletics Championships and her season best in 1500m is 4:10.83 which she clocked in the same event. However, coach Saurabh is not happy with her performance in 1500m and believes that she can easily improve in the discipline. 'She has done well in 800m at the continental level but she hasn't shown her full potential in the 1500m event. Her personal best last came in 2023 National Inter-State Athletics (4:09.52) but she has been hovering around the same mark.' When Pooja was asked how she feels about her performance, she said,' It was my first international trip and I was not thinking about the results much but the timings came out to be good and I am happy that I came back home with multiple medals.' With experience of international tournaments under her belt, she wants to compete in more international tournaments and that is the plan for the season ahead. 'It is important for her to play more and more international competitions as it would lead to more improvement in her timings. The only reason she did her personal best in 800m was because of the strong competition in the race. One good thing in international competitions is that there are pace setters in almost every race and it helps the athlete. You just have to follow the race and execute your strategy of acceleration,' said Saurabh. 'I want to keep my mind free of any kind of stress and just run in the international tournaments. For me the target is to improve my timings this year,' concluded Pooja Key Results in 2025: 800m 2:01.89- Asian Athletics Championships, Korea- Bronze medal 2:02.78- Taiwan Athletics Open, Gold medal 1500m 4:10.83- Asian Athletics Championships, Korea, Silver medal 4:11.63- Taiwan Athletics Open, Gold medal
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Taiwan Open athletics: Men's 4x100m relay team gets it right after their DQ at Asian C'ships; Jyothi goes sub-13 once again
The men's 4*100 m relay team made up for the botched baton exchange at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in May, clocking 38.75s to win the gold medal at the Taiwan Open Athletics on Saturday as the Indian athletes had a successful day at the competition, winning six gold medals. The quartet of Gurindervir Singh, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidhar, and Amlan Borgohain were the favourites from the start, and they didn't disappoint, clocking the second-fastest time of the year as a team. Their best time is the current national record 38.69s, clocked earlier in April this year. At the Asian Athletics last month in Korea, the Indian team was disqualified in the heats despite clocking the best time. Pranav Gurav and Ragul Kumar – two alternate athletes in the relay contingent – fluffed the baton transfer in the heats of the tournament as they exchanged it outside the takeover zone, leading to India's immediate disqualification. In today's race, the Indian team began well with Gurindervir giving a solid start which was continued by Animesh who ran a good second leg. In the third leg, Manikanta took the lead and Animesh continued it cross the finish line and led India to the gold medal. Young sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan starred in the women's 4*100m relay race as her stunning run in the third leg powered India to another gold. The quartet of Sudeeksha Vadluri, Sneha SS, Abinaya, and Nithya Gandhe clocked 44.07 in the event. At the Asian Athletics, the same team had won a silver medal with 43.86s. Hurdler Jyothi Yarraji continued her gold medal-winning form as she clocked 12.99s in women's 100m hurdles to run her second sub-13 race of the year. After qualifying with a timing of 13.18s in the heats, Jyothi faced tough competition from Japanese hurdlers Chisato Kiyoyama and Asuka Terada. In the final, Chisato and Asuka had a brilliant start as Jyothi trailed them in the first 60m. However, a push from Jyothi in the last few meters saw her leave both Japanese hurdles behind to win her second gold in 15 days. In the men's 110m hurdles, Tejas Shirse won the gold medal clocking his season best timing of 13:52s. Earlier he had clocked 13:62s in the heats to book his final berth. The 22-year-old Pooja decimated the field in the women's 1500m to win the gold medal with a timing of 4:11.63. When Pooja crossed the finish line her closest competitor Su Gyon Jon of North Korea was not even in the camera frame. Pooja has been on a rise this year as she won two medals at the Asian Athletics last month. She won a silver in the women's 1500m clocking 4:10.83 and clocked a personal best in 800m to win the bronze medal with a timing of 2:00.42. She can add one more medal to her tally when she participates in the 800m tomorrow. Experienced triple jumper Abdulla Aboobacker was the sixth gold medalist for India as he jumped a modest 16.21m. Despite crossing the 16m mark just one time, Aboobacker won the gold as the other athletes failed to cross the 16m mark even once. The Indians in action on Sunday are Annu Rani (Javelin Throw), Shaili Singh, Ancy Sojan (Long Jump), Pooja (800m), Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw), Yashas Palaksha (400m hurdles), and the men's 4*400m relay team. KEY INDIAN RESULTS ON SATURDAY: 4*100m relay: India 38.75, Chinese Taipei A 39.11, Chinese Taipei B 39.75 110m hurdles: Tejas Shirse (India) 13:52, Yuan Kai Hsieh (Chinese Taipei) 13:72, Chen Kui-ru 13:75 Triple Jump: Abdulla Aboobacker (India) 16:21m, Yun Chen Li (Chinese Taipei) 15.92m, Zheng Jia Zhou (Chinese Taipei) 15.59m 4*100m relay: India 44.07, Vietnam 44.38, Chinese Taipei 44.53 100m hurdles: Jyothi Yarraji (India) 12.99, Asuka Terada (Japan) 13.04, Chiasato Kiyoyama (Japan) 13.10 1500m: Pooja (India) 4:11.63, Su Gyon Jon (North Korea) 4:28.03, Hiu Tung Tsang (Hong Kong) 4:34.92
