Fast-improving Thingalaya makes it three-in-three

Hurdler Sidhanth Thingalaya has a special liking for the track at the National Institute of Sports,Patiala. For the third time in as many years,Thingalaya broke the national record in the 110 metres hurdles

Hurdler Sidhanth Thingalaya has a special liking for the track at the National Institute of Sports,Patiala. For the third time in as many years,Thingalaya broke the national record in the 110 metres hurdles.

On Tuesday,he stopped the clock at 13.69 seconds to break his own national record of 13.77. Though the timing was .09 seconds off the Olympics B standard qualification,the giant strides the 20-year-old hurdler has taken over the past 24 months has give him hope that he can book his berth for the London Olympics.

It was during the 2010 inter-state championship that Thingalaya first set a national mark,when he clocked 13.81 seconds. He had at that point in time bettered K Krishna Mohans record of 13.96. A year later,at the National Open Athletics Championship,he broke the national record for the second time.

Patiala has been very lucky for me as I have created so many records on this track. I had hoped to go under the B standard today. Until a year ago,qualifying for the Olympics was not even a distant dream for me. However,now I am confident of qualifying for the London Olympics, Thingalaya said.

Those who have followed his career closely will know that Thingalaya has been improving consistently. He has been an Asian Junior champion and finished fourth in the World Juniors.

On Tuesday,Thingalaya blew a good start when he touched the first hurdle and lost precious time. Since it was my first competition of the domestic season,I was a bit nervous. I tried too hard, Thingalaya said.

Sourabh Vij misses out

On realising he had hurled the iron ball to a distance that was below the Olympic grade 20m in his sixth and last attempt,Sourabh Vij was disappointed. The 18.42 metres he recorded was much below his 19.80 which he achieved in the first leg of the Indian Grand Prix earlier this month. I dont know what had happened to me today. I was just not good enough today, Vij said.