Sudha smashes national record in women’s 3000m steeplechase

Sudha, who had qualified for Rio Games during the Federation Cup National Athletics Championships in New Delhi last month, clocked 9 minute 26.55 seconds to better the earlier national record of 9:27.09 held by her training-mate and another Olympics-bound athlete Lalita Babar.

Reigning Asian champion Babar also took part in the race on Saturday and stood 13th with a disappointing timing of 9:43.30 among 14 women who finished the race at this Chinese city. Babar, who had finished eighth at the World Athletics Championships last year, had created the earlier national record.