Nepal Police Club athlete Chandrakala Lamgade materialised her ambition of getting back her national record in the women’s javelin throw on Wednesday with her second gold at the Ninth National Games.

The 29-year-old had hurled a record 44.05 metres during Eighth National Games in April, 2019 before Laxmi Tharu of Tribhuvan Army Club shattered it in December of the same year during 13th South Asian Games (SAG) with a throw of 45.25m. On Wednesday, Lamgade hurled 47.60m for a new national record.

Though Tharu also bettered her previous best with a throw of 45.56m she was limited to silver while Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club’s Sima Kumari Tharu walked away with bronze scoring 45.20m.

“My ambition was to set a record in my own name and I finally achieved that,” said Tharu, who also claimed shot put gold. She could not participate in discus throw at the Games as an athlete was allowed to compete in only two events.

Army’s Rohit Chaudhary defended his javelin throw gold in men’s event with a hurl of 64.25m while APF’s duo of Ramesh Pokharel (55.43m) and Manoj Dagaura (53.39m) walked away with silver and bronze medals.

Second gold for Rana, Kumal, Shrestha

APF athlete Phulmati Rana, Army’s Som Bahadur Kumal and Bagmati Province’s Santoshi Shrestha also secured their second individual gold medals while Army’s Jayarani Tharu added fourth medal. APF’s Shiva Raj Parki also earned his second individual gold.

Middle distance runner Rana clocked 2 minutes 27.26 seconds to secure the women’s 800m gold finishing ahead of defending champion and Olympian Saraswati Bhattarai of Army who clocked 2:27.50. Rekha Limbu of Army earned bronze finishing the distance in 2:30.48.

Rana, who had also secured the 1500m gold coming ahead of Bhattarai, had finished third in both the events at the 2019 National Games.

“I completed my ambition of winning twin golds and it is a great achievement for me to finish ahead of an Olympian,” said Rana adding, “I was even hopeful of making a national record but I could not. I will work hard to make it possible next time.”

SAG gold medallist Santoshi Shrestha of Bagmati Province claimed her second gold of the Games defending her women’s 5,000m crown. She clocked 17 minutes 05.29 seconds adding to her tally of the 10,000m gold. Nepal Police Club’s Rajpura Pachhai earned silver with a timing of 17:10.05 while Army’s Purna Laxmi Neupane walked away with bronze at 18:03.00. Pachhai was runner up in the 10,000m as well.

Army man Som Bahadur Kumal earned the men’s 800m gold a day after securing top finish in 400m. Kumal, who also holds the national record of 1:50.25 in the event, clocked 1:54.08. Nepal Police Club’s Tej Bahadur Karki took silver taking 1:55.21 and Army’s Sunil Sunar won bronze at 1:55.52.

Ram Prasad Tharu of Army secured gold in the men’s 400m hurdles clocking 53.53 seconds, finishing ahead of club-mate Jeevan Tharu who took 53.89 seconds. Nira Pratap Mahato of APF walked away with bronze medal.

Tharu wins fourth gold

Army’s Jayarani Tharu gave continuity to her gold medal run on Wednesday as well, winning her fourth gold of the Games in the 4X100m relay. Army’s team of Tharu, Saraswati Chaudhary and Nirmala Thapa secured top finish to defend last National Games’s crown in relay clocking 49.60 seconds.

Tharu had won golds in all three previous events she competed at the Games, bettering her national records in the 400m hurdles and the 100m hurdles, and setting a new record in the long jump.

Gandaki Province team of Manisha Adhikari, Anisha Bhandari, Sabina Khatun and Nisha Gharti finished second in relay clocking 52.75. Bagmati’s team of Juni Dulal, Swagata Khaiju, Prakriti Suwal and Lujala Amatya took bronze at 52.76.

APF secured gold in the men’s relay clocking 42.44 second to finish ahead of Army who took 42.60 to finish the distance. Lumbini finished third at 44.38. APF team included Nir Pratap Mahato, Ashish Chaudhary, Shivaraj Chaudhary and Chandra Bahadur Pulami. It was the second gold for Shivaraj, who also won the men’s 100m gold.