CWG 2022: Eldhose Paul gives India it's first gold medal in athletics

Eldhose Paul

Indian athletes came to the fore in the absence of Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra as Eldhose Paul and N Abdulla Aboobacker finished 1-2 in the men's triple jump in the 2022 CWG here on Sunday.

Paul produced a personal best effort of 17.03 metres and Aboobacker was a centimetre behind at 17.02 as they claimed the top two spots in men's triple jump at the Alexander Stadium here, claiming India's first gold medal in this discipline of track and field in Commonwealth Games.

All three medals possible

India could have swept the podium, but Praveen Chithravel could manage only 16.28 in his final attempt whereas he needed a jump close to 17.00 to snatch the bronze medal from Jah-Nhai Perinchief of Bermuda, who eventually finished third with a best effort of 16.92 metres.

Eldhose Paul competes in the triple jump final at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham yesterday; Javelin thrower Annu Rani; Sandeep Kumar wins bronze; Abdulla Aboobacker reacts in the final. Pics/AP, PTI, AFP

This is India's first gold medal in athletics at Birmingham 2022 and sixth overall in the Commonwealth Games.

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Paul won India's first gold medal in the triple jump in the Commonwealth Games while the 1-2 finish took India's total medals in the triple jump to six adding to the bronze and silver medals Mohinder Singh Gill won in 1970 and 1974 respectively, and bronze medals by Renjith Maheshwary (2010) and Arpinder Singh (2014). Paul, who came into the event with a personal best of 16.99 this season while Aboobacker had a season best of 17.19 and Chithravel had a best of 17.18. But on Sunday, Paul upstaged his two friends as he cleared 17.03 in his third attempt after two looseners of 14.62 and 16.30 in his first two tries. He jumped to 16.43 in his fourth try and then managed 16.43 and 16.11 in his final two.

Aboobacker had a better start as he cleared 16.57 in the first and raised it to 16.62 and 16.72 in his net to attempts. He clinched the silver medal with a 17.02m effort in the penultimate attempt. Meanwhile, Annu Rani scripted history as she became the first Indian female javelin thrower to win a medal, a bronze, in the Commonwealth Games on the penultimate day here on Sunday.

Rani, Sandeep shine

Rani sent the spear to a distance of 60m in her fourth attempt to finish third. World champion Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia stole the gold with a final round throw of 64.43m from compatriot Mackenzie Little (64.27m). India's Sandeep Kumar won a bronze in the men's 10,000m racewalk with a personal best time of 38:49.21m.

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