Kenyan athlete Faith Kipyegon set a new world record in the 1,500 meters at the Prefontaine Classic held in Eugene, Oregon, finishing in a remarkable time of 3 minutes and 48.68 seconds. The three-time Olympic champion surpassed her previous record of 3:49.04, which she had set last July prior to the Paris Games. Kipyegon, 31, sprinted alone down the final stretch at Hayward Field, eliciting cheers from the crowd. After crossing the finish line, she proudly wrapped herself in the Kenyan flag. Ethiopian runner Diribe Welteji finished second with a time of 3:51.44. Just last month, Kipyegon aimed to make history by becoming the first woman to complete a mile in under four minutes, recording 4:06.42-the fastest mile by a woman, although this time cannot be recognized as an official record due to the event’s unsanctioned status.
Kenyan Beatrice Chebet also made headlines at the Prefontaine Classic by setting a world record in the 5,000 meters, clocking in at 13 minutes and 58.06 seconds. Chebet became the first woman to break the 14-minute barrier in this event, eclipsing the previous record of 14:00.21 set by Ethiopian Gudaf Tsegay earlier this year at the same meet. The 25-year-old had already achieved gold medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters at the Paris Olympics, becoming only the third woman to accomplish this feat. She held the year’s top time in the 5,000 as well, having run 14:06.39 last month in Rome.
In boxing, Indian athlete Sakshi Sharma secured her country’s first gold medal at the World Boxing Cup held in Astana. The two-time youth world champion showcased a dominant performance in the women’s 54kg final, defeating the USA’s Yosline Perez by unanimous decision. The Indian team had a successful outing, with a total of 11 medals assured. Previously, India secured six medals in the first leg of the tournament in Brazil, including both a gold and a silver. Four Indian boxers participated in the first session, with Sakshi standing out for her speed and combination punching. Meenakshi India narrowly missed victory against local favorite Nazym Kyzaibay in the 48kg final, losing a tight 3-2 decision. Additionally, Jugnoo and Pooja Rani each earned silver medals in their respective categories after losing their finals.
In billiards, seasoned Indian player Vidya Pillai clinched the gold medal in the Heyball event at the inaugural Commonwealth Billiards Championships held in Balaclava, Mauritius. The 47-year-old, a former World champion in 6-Red Snooker, triumphed over South Africa’s Marina Jacobs in a nail-biting final that ended in a shootout. Pillai took an early lead but faced a strong comeback from Jacobs, who forced the match into a shootout after tying 5-5, only for Pillai to claim victory with a score of 3-1 in the shootout. Meanwhile, Indian cueist Chitra Magimairaj faced disappointment in the gold medal match of the women’s 10-ball pool, losing to Singapore’s Venus Lim Xinyi. Others like Anupama Ramachandran and Keerthana Pandian settled for bronze medals after their semifinal losses.
In Chandigarh, former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh attended a felicitation ceremony for female wrestler Rachna Parmar, despite opposition from local khap panchayats. Singh was present in Bond Kalan village, where Rachna was recognized for her recent gold medal performance in the women’s 43kg category at the Under-17 Asian Wrestling Championships in Vietnam. This district is notably home to Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who has been vocal against Singh due to ongoing sexual harassment allegations that are currently before the courts.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/07/07/sports-snippets-952/
Category: SPORTS
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-07-07 03:57:00
