Damneet Singh bags silver, 1st Indian to win medal in IAAF U-18 World Championship

Nairobi: Hammer thrower Damneet Singh, 16 clinched silver and created history for India on Saturday, as he became the first athlete from the country to win a medal at the IAAF U-18 World Championship, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Damneet, who plies his trade in the boy’s hammer throw 5kg event, notched up a silver medal in his category, throwing it 74.20m, which is a personal record.

Damneet finished behind Kokhan Mykhaylo of Ukraine, who was way ahead of the rest of his competitors, throwing as far as 82.31m. Germany’s Raphael Winklevoss came in at third with 71.78m up on the board.

Damneet has been enjoying a good run of form, as he had set his personal best throw of 72.75m at the National Youth Championships in Hyderabad, earlier this year.

The 16-year-old upped his game in the World Championships final, hurling it 1.45m better than his previous best.

In fact, Damneet struck his personal best mark with his very first throw in the final. He went on to beat his older record on three more occasions.