Mohammed Afsal breaks 800m national record in Poland

Poznan (Poland), Jul 5 (PTI) Asian Games silver medallist Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath on Saturday broke his own national record and became the first Indian to record below the 1: 45 minute mark in men’s 800m race at Memoriał Czesława Cybulskiego.

Afsal, who had won the silver medal in 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, clocked 1:44.96 minute and finished sixth in Heat A/1 of the event.

Earlier in May, the 29-year-old Afsal had recorded 1:45.61s to break the seven-year-old national record of 1:45.65s which was set by Jinson Johnson in 2018, during the UAE Athletics Grand Prix in Dubai.

Afsal had finished second in the event.

On Saturday, the first three positions were taken by Polish runners with Maciej Wyderka finishing first with a timing of 1:44.23s, which was his personal best as well as the meet record.

Filip Ostrowski (1:44.25s) and Patryk Sieradzki (1:44.56s), who finished second and third respectively, also recorded their personal bests.

The fourth and the fifth spots were taken by Great Britain’s Justin Davies (1:44.73s) and Tiarnan Crorken (1:44.89s). PTI DDV KHS