Dhaka:Bangladesh Navy's sprinters Imranur Rahman and Shirin Akter excelled in the men's and women's 100 metres, respectively, at the 18th Koko National Summer Athletics competition. Promises were made to enhance athletes' accommodation, nutrition, and transport facilities during the event.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Imranur clocked 10.53 seconds to secure the men's 100m gold, surpassing fellow Navy sprinter Mohammad Ismail, who finished second with 10.67 seconds. Army's Tarek Rahman claimed the bronze with a time of 10.73 seconds.
Shirin Akter won the women's 100m title, finishing in 12.08 seconds. Army's Sharifa Khatun took second place with 12.23 seconds, while Navy's Sumaiya Dewan secured third in 12.33 seconds. Shirin credited her victory to the support from her teammates, coach, and sporting organizations, expressing gratitude for their contributions to her success.
Shirin also expressed her hopes that this performance would aid her preparations for the upcoming South Asian competitions. Meanwhile, Imranur highlighted the importance of improving facilities for athletes, noting efforts to address accommodation, food, nutritional, and transport needs.
The event organizers aim to encourage wider participation by improving these facilities, thereby helping to identify emerging talent across the country. The competition was officially inaugurated by President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, with State Minister for Youth and Sports Md. Aminul Haque and Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF) officials in attendance.