Durgesh Pal wins silver in Youth Olympic Games

Singapore: India`s Durgesh Kumar Pal clichéd the silver with a personal best timing of 50.81sec in the 400m Hurdles but his compatriots disappointed on the ninth day of the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

The 17-year-old, who started his athletic career in 2005 in Pune before graduating from middle distance to 400m, came close to beat Lara Norge Sotomayor but failed in the end as the Cuban clocked 50.69sec to win the gold. India now have six medals in their kitty, including five silvers and a bronze. Also boxer Shiva Thapa had assured himself of a silver after reaching the finals of 60kg boys category yesterday.Durgesh, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had created a record in National Youth Athletics Championships by clocking 51.57s at Coimbatore in April. Among other Indians, Ruchi Singh shot 467.2 to finish sixth in the 10m Air Pistol junior women`s final, which was won by Kim Jang Mi (479.2) of Korea. In the boys` basketball, India lost 20-31 to Singapore in a round robin match.Wrestler Pooja Dhanda had bagged a silver in women`s 60kg freestyle while Kadian Satyawart fetched a bronze in men`s 100kg freestyle. HS Prannoy and Arjun also brought laurels for India by winning the Silver in badminton and discus throw respectively, while rising tennis star Yuki Bhambri also won a silver. PTI