England-based Imran breaks 100-metre nat’l record

Imran Rahman and Sumaiya Dewan emerged country’s new fastest man and woman respectively after clinching gold medals in the 100-metre sprint events of the 45th National Athletics Championships held at the Army Stadium on Monday. 

The 28-year-old England-based Bangladeshi athlete, Imran, represented the Army team and took 10.50 seconds (electronic timing) to dethrone Navy’s Mohammad Ismail, who dominated the event for the last three consecutive editions.

Ismail finished in third by clocking 10.69 seconds while his team-mate Rakibul Hasan won silver by clocking 10.66 seconds in this event.

Imran’s 10.50 seconds is the country’s best-ever record in electronic timing of this event as the previous best 10.54 seconds was set up 22years ago by Mahbub Alam in 1999.

‘I was confident of winning. My next target is to win gold in the South Asian Games,’ Imran told the media after becoming champion on his first appearance at the national stage.

Imran, who become eligible to take part in national competitions and to represent the country at the international stage on November 29, 2021, informed that he will continue his training in London.

‘I will continue my training in London and will come home to participate in competitions,’ said Imran.

In the women’s event, 17-year-old Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan sprinter Sumaiya Dewan bagged her first national medal by dethroning 11-time national champion Shirin Akter.  

Sumaiya clocked 12.32 seconds while Navy’s Shirin finished on 12.36 seconds and Army’s Sharifa Khatun placed third with 12.54 seconds.

‘I was expecting something like that. Now feeling great after becoming champion,’ said Sumaiya.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Navy athlete Umme Hafsa Rumki bagged gold in the women’s high jump event with a new national record. 

Rumki clinched gold by clearing 1.71 metre, which broke the previous record of 1.70 metre made by Army’s Ritu Akther in 2020.