Running along the best national runners and sprinters from across the country, Chime Wangmo was surprised to finish 400-metre track event ahead of four other finalists at BAAF- YORII Athletics championship on April 28 in Thimphu.
“I am excited. I could hardly believe that I finished the run first. I wanted to set a new record for the track event,” Chime Wangmo said.
Fourteen-year-old runners from Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School represented Thimphu Thromde at the event that saw more than 50 top athletes from six dzongkhags, one thromde and a team from Yorii town from Japan.
The event also saw the former Japanese Olympian, Dai Tamesue, who also trained local athletes into professional athletes, participate in the event.
Delegates from Yorii town joined Dai Tamesue, also the founder of the Athletic Society of Japan.
The day-long championship was part of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC), Athletic Society of Japan, and Yorii town on October 14 in 2016 in Thimphu.
According to the MoU, Yorii town and the Athletic Society will facilitate pre-game training camps for the Bhutanese track and field athletes at the town and Japanese coaches and experts will visit Bhutan to train the athletes.
One of the most exciting track events was 400-meter team relay run that saw Olympian Dai Tamesue joining team Yorii along with the finalist team from Ugyen Academy, Punakha, Haa, Thimphu Dzongkhag and Thimthrom.
The track event saw the Olympian run as the last runner of Yorii team. The relay team from Ugyen Academy FC that comprised of fastest 100 metres sprinters, 400 metres, and 200 metre runners win the most exciting track event.
Yorii team led by Dai Tamesue finished second followed by Thimthrom.
The championship saw Sangay Wangmo, the national record holder with 13.75 seconds in 100-metre dash, set a new record at 13.35 seconds. Kao Yamaguchi of Yorii town came second at 14.43 seconds followed by Ugyen Pelden from Paro with 14.46 seconds.
Singye, 19, from Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Central School in Haa, said that he performed better at dzongkhag level competition.
“I completed 100-metre dash at 12 seconds at the dzongkhag level competitions. We feel different and unfamiliar with the equipment and rules used at the championship here,” said Singye.
He added that the athletics require daily training and proper training to perform better.
The day-long BAAF YORII Athletics championship was followed by athletics clinic organised by the coaches from Yorii town and Athletic Society yesterday in Thimphu.
Nima