Asian Games gold winner Arpinder Singh becomes first Indian to bag medal in IAAF Continental Cup

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC: Arpinder Singh who won a gold medal in the Asian Games 2018 became the first Indian to win a medal in IAAF Continental Cup on Sunday. 

The triple jumper created history by clinching a bronze medal. He covered 16.59m during the event to secure third place. He clear 16.33, in his next three attempts to secure the bronze. Singh had however measured 16.77m to bag gold medal in the Asian Games. 

The 25-year-old Arpinder was representing the Asia-Pacific team in the meet, held once every four years. 

No Indian has ever won a medal in the Continental Cup which was known as the IAAF World Cup before 2010.

Reigning Olympic and world champion Christian Taylor of the United States easily took the gold with a jump of 17.59m, which is one metre more than the best effort of Arpinder.

The 28-year-old Taylor beat World University Games silver medallist Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso, who cleared 17.02m, in the two-man final round.

Taylor, who was representing the Americas, has a personal best of 18.21m.

The IAAF Continental Cup is being competed in 37 events in men and women sections taken together with two top athletes from the four regions of Europe, Americas, Africa and Asia-Pacific taking part in each of them.

The format of four-man making it to the semifinals and then two competing in the final round was introduced this year with an aim to make the event more interesting.

(With PTI Inputs)