Riyadh, May 16 (IANS) Animesh Kujur and Mohammed Afsal continued their impressive run of form on the international circuit by clinching victories in their respective events at the Saudi Athletics Grand Prix 2026 in Riyadh on Friday.

At the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Stadium, national record holder Afsal clocked a strong finish to win the men’s 800m race in 1:48.24. The Indian runner pipped South Africa’s Christopher Swart who finished in 1:48.50. Werner Gouws was third in 1:48.75.

Afsal, who holds the Indian national record of 1:44.93 set in Poland last year, added another good international show to his credit after bagging silver at the 2023 Asian Games with a time of 1:48.43.

The Saudi Athletics Grand Prix is a Bronze meeting on the World Athletics Continental Tour calendar and has attracted athletes from several nations.

Kujur also lived up to his billing as the fastest sprinting talent in the country by winning the men’s 200m title in 20.77 seconds. Great Britain’s David Harrison (20.87s) and Toby Harries (21.01s) were beaten by the 22-year-old. Earlier, Kujur had finished agonisingly close to the top in the men’s 100m, clocking 10.44 seconds to finish second to Harrison who won the race in 10.42 seconds. Former Indian national record holder Gurindervir Singh also clocked 10.44 seconds but was forced to settle for third after a photo finish. Kujur currently holds the national record for both the sprint events in India.

Last year, he clocked 10.18 seconds in Greece to break the 100m national mark before later setting a new 200m record of 20.32 seconds at the Asian Athletics Championships.

The young sprinter was also in great form arriving in Riyadh after completing a sprint double at the Indian Athletics Series in New Delhi last month, winning both the 100m and 200m races.

M Krishik gave India another podium finish, coming third in the men’s 110m hurdles with a time of 13.90 seconds. It was the first international competition of the Indian indoor champion in the 60m hurdles and the 22-year-old…

A first place finish in 40.49 seconds ahead of hosts Saudi Arabia (41.89 seconds) capped off a successful outing for the Indian men’s 4x100m relay team. Of the 5 teams that entered, only 2 ultimately began the relay race.

–IANS

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