Date:13/06/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/06/13/stories/2005061305071800.htm

Sport - Athletics

Vikas Gowda wins silver

SACRAMENTO: CALIFORNIA: Vikas Gowda claimed the discus silver in the NCAA track and field championships on Saturday to become the second Indian, behind triple jumper Mohinder Singh Gill, to win an athletics medal in the American collegiate competition.

Gowda, 22, representing North Carolina University, threw the disc to a distance of 60.08 metres to come behind Stanford's Michael Robertson who reached 61.70m. Gowda had led the field till Robertson produced his winning throw in the fifth round. Gowda had a series of 59.35, 60.08, 59.25, 56.36 and 59.54 before fouling his last attempt. Jamal Cann of Iowa State was third with 58.88m.

The Mysore-born Gowda, son of former Indian coach, Shive Gowda, was the favourite going into Saturday's final. He had led the season's charts among American collegians with his 64.69 at Charlotte on April 2, and had advanced to the final here on Thursday on top of the qualifiers' list, taking just one throw (60.01m) to make the automatic qualification.