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Journalism of Courage
Discus thrower Krishna Pooniya made history by becoming the first Indian woman gold medallist in Commonwealth Games athletics,top boxer Vijender Singh suffered a shock defeat and the first dope scandal broke out
on another action-packed day today.
Pooniya led a historic Indian clean sweep of the discus event by clearing 61.51m to also become only the second from the host country to win an athletics gold after track legend Milkha Singh’s glory days in 1958 at Cardiff,Wales.
The Rajasthan athlete’s splendid golden finish also enabled the country to equal its previous-best gold medal haul in Games history and retain the second spot in the medals table behind Australia. The country had won 30 gold at Manchester eight years ago.
She swept the discus event with Harwant Kaur (60.66m) and national record holder Seema Antil (58.46m) bagging the silver and bronze to lift the host country’s tally in athletics to a record seven.
Poonia later dedicated the gold medal to the “all the Indians” who have waited for so long to win a Commonwealth Games gold.
“I dedicate this gold medal to all the Indians who have waited for so long. I am so happy that I have done the country proud by winning a gold in the Commonwealth Games after 52 years.
“It is amazing. It cannot be better than this. With this clean sweep of the medals I think we have wiped out everything bad that had happened before the Games and we have out united,” she said after the historic moment.
However,the much-heralded boxing squad underperformed with Olympic medal winner Vijender Singh and three others biting the dust in the semis and settling for the bronze.
The shock defeat of hot title favourite Vijender against Anthony Ogoro of England led the Indians to lodge a protest after the referee penalised the Indian star towards the fag end of the bout when he led narrowly. It was,however,rejected.
The consolation was the entry of southpaw Suranjoy Singh (52kg),Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Paramjit Samota (+91kg) into the finals after winning their semi final bouts.
Suranjoy reached the gold medal round defeating Haroon Iqbal of Pakistan,Manoj Kumar made the title round edging out Valentino Knowles of Bahamas and Samota outpunched F A Junior of Tonga.
Amandeep Singh (49kg),Asian champion Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and Dilbag Singh (69kg) also lost their semi final bouts and had to be content with bronze medals.
