Ahmedabad: Kashish Bhagat from Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Sayed Sabeer from Dharwad (Karnataka) — have diverse backgrounds. But the duo have the same Sunday’s goal for the 600m medal race at the 19th edition of the National Inter District Junior Athletics Meet (NIDJAM).
On Saturday, Sayed Sabeer and Kashish Bhagat comfortably advanced to the finals of the U16 boys and girls’ race. The Sunday plan of both the athletes to win gold in their respective events as they weren’t able to accomplish their task in the 2023 edition of NIDJAM held in Patna, Bihar.
While Sayed Sabeer got tripped and fell down in the opening 200m of the 600m finals in 2023, Kashish Bhagat settled for silver.
“I will be extra careful in the final race on Sunday,” was how Sayed Sabeer said his plans for the medal race. He clocked 1:22.30 to win his semi final race.
The school going athletes from Bengaluru will be appearing for their class 10th board exams in March. The Bengaluru based youngster will celebrate his 16th birthday on April 4, and has got his text books in his luggage. “When I go back to the hostel from the stadium in the evening, I manage to study for more than an hour,” Sayed Sabeer disclosed after winning his semis race on Saturday.
Kashish Bhagat has also learned to squeeze time to revise her text books. “To prepare for NIDJAM, I’ve had to balance practice and academics,” she said after winning her semis race. She clocked 1:37.27, fastest time in the semis. She will face a strong challenge from Panipat’s Tannu whose time dominated the third and last semis with a time of 1:37.56.
“I’m prepared for the final,” the Nagpur runner said.
Finals are scheduled for Sunday.
Earlier, in the afternoon session the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) conducted seminars for coaches and competitors on anti-doping awareness, harmful impact of overtraining and safeguarding athletes from harassment and abuse in sports.
While Olympian and world bronze medalist in women’s long jump, Anju Bobby George, updated athletes on guidelines safeguarding athletes from harassment, Radhakrishnan Nair, chief athletics coach, spoke on harmful side effects of overtraining in early teens.
ENDS
Picture Caption: Kashish Bhagat was the fastest 600m runner in the semifinal on Saturday.
Nagpur’s Kashish Bhagat and Sayed Sabeer of Dharwad ready for medal race
