Odisha bagged two gold and one bronze medals in the first leg of Indian Grand Prix, which was held at Netaji Institute of Sports Complex in Patiala today. Javelin thrower Devender Singh qualified for the upcoming IAAF World Championships to be held in London from August 4-13, 2017 with a magnificent throw of 84.57 metre.

Several known names decided to give the event a miss and new faces had little to offer. But the one-day meet proved to be a golden opportunity for Odisha athletes, among whom woman 100 metre  hurdler Purnima Hembram and discus thrower Parbati Sethi captured one gold medal each, while lesser-known Saroj Kumar Jena secured one bronze in men’s 100 metre sprint.

Purnima Hembram crossed the finish line with a timing of 13.85 seconds, while Parbati Sethi came up with a gold-winning throw of 43.99 metre. Sprinter Jena finished third, clocking 12.31 seconds. The second and third legs of the three-leg Indian Grand Prix will take place in Delhi on May 11 and 15.
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PHOTO: File photo of Odisha woman hurdler Purnima Hembram.