The 18th National Summer Athletics, currently underway at the National Stadium in Dhaka, has witnessed a remarkable display of talent, with seven new national records established within the first two days of the competition. This surge in performance highlights the growing competitive spirit among the nation's athletes.
The standout performance came from Bangladesh Navy's Rinky Biswas, who broke her own national record in the women's 5000m race. Clocking in at 18 minutes and 8.50 seconds, she surpassed her previous record of 18 minutes and 20 seconds set in 2025, shaving off 11.50 seconds. Her ability to improve upon her own benchmark underscores her dedication and training.
In another significant event, Rinky's teammate, Priya Akter, shattered Rinky's previous record in the women's 3000m race. Priya secured the gold medal with a time of 10 minutes and 24.38 seconds, improving upon Rinky's 2025 record of 10 minutes and 27.60 seconds by 3.22 seconds. This internal rivalry within the Navy team has clearly pushed both athletes to achieve higher standards.
Other events also saw intense competition. Tasmia Hossain, representing the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP), claimed gold in the women's 100m hurdles with a time of 14.83 seconds. In the men's high jump, Mahfuzur Rahman of the Navy soared to victory with a jump of 2.10 meters. Meanwhile, Lusad Islam of the Bangladesh Army dominated the men's 400m race, finishing in 47.59 seconds.
The Summer Athletics meet serves as a crucial platform for athletes to demonstrate their prowess and gain national recognition. The success observed in the first two days has raised expectations for the remainder of the tournament, with many anticipating further records to be broken.
As the competition progresses, athletes are expected to push their limits further to secure their positions on the medal tally. The emergence of such talent from this national event is a promising sign for the future of athletics in Bangladesh, potentially paving the way for stronger representation in international sporting arenas.
