Ostrava (Czech Republic), September 8: PU Chitra finished a creditable fourth in women's 1500m race while Jinson Johnson ended seventh in men's 800m on the first day of the IAAF Continental Cup here on Saturday (September 8).
Chitra, who had won a bronze in the just-concluded Asian Games, crossed the finishing line a surprised fourth place with a time of 4 minute 18.45 seconds in the eight-woman field. She had clocked 4:12.56 in Jakarta.
Neeraj Chopra leads Indian contingent
Winny Chebet of Kenya emerged as the winner in a time of 4:16.01 while Shelby Houlihan (4:16.36) of United States and Rababe Arafi (4:17.19) of Morocco took the silver and bronze respectively as all the competitors ran well below their best in the season-ending event.
Indian athletics @afiindia team members representing Asia-Pacific team in @iaafostrava2018 pic: @tiyubao pic.twitter.com/2ajT0HzHSa
— Asian Athletics (@asianathletics) September 7, 2018
The IAAF Continental Cup was competed in 37 events in men and women sections taken together with two athletes from the four regions of Europe, Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific taking part in each of them. Chitra was representing Asia-Pacific.
In men's 800m, national record holder Johnson clocked 1:48.44 to end at seventh in the race won by Emmanuel Kipkurui Korir of Kenya who ran 1:46.50. Johnson had clocked 1:46.35 while winning a silver in the Asian Games. He had broken the 42-year-old Sriram Singh's 800m record with a time of 1:45.65 during the National Inter-State Championships in June in Guwahati.
Indian🇮🇳 athletes participating in IAAF Continental Cup 2018 #IAAFOstrava2018
— INDIAN ATHLETES (@indian_athletes) September 8, 2018
🔺Neeraj Chopra 👉 Javelin Throw
🔺Arpinder Singh 👉 Triple Jump
🔺Muhammad Anas 👉 400m
🔺Jinson Johnson 👉800m & 1500m
🔺P U Chitra 👉1500m
🔺Sudha Singh👉 3000M Steeplechase#TeamAsiaPacific pic.twitter.com/hLqDyaCIPR
On the second and final day on Sunday, Neeraj Chopra (men's javelin throw), Arpinder Singh (men's triple jump), Mohd. Anas (men's 400m) and Sudha Singh (women's 3000m steeplechase) will be seen in action.