Deeksha sets new Indian record at LA athletics meet

Indian track athlete K M Deeksha set a new National record in the women's 1500 metres while Avinash Sable finished second in the men's 5000m event at the Sound Running Track Fest in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Deeksha finished third in the final, clocking 4:04.78 seconds and bettering the previous record of 4:05.39s, set by Harmilan Bains in 2021 at the National Open Athletics Championships in Warangal.

Deeksha's previous personal best was a 4:06.07s, set in the final of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar in 2023, where she upstaged Bains to win gold.

Deeksha, who is from Amroha, UP, is part of the MP Athletics Academy for the last five years, training under coach S K Prasad.

Parul Chaudhary timed 15:10.69s in the women's 5000m to finish fifth.

She narrowly missed out on improving her National record, while compatriot Ankita ended up 10th with a time of 15:28.88s.

Sable finished second in the men's 5000m with a time of 13:20.37s. In the same event, Gulveer Singh clocked 13:31.95s.

Sable's 5000m National record timing is 13:19.30s.

Kartik Kumar ran the last lap of the men's 10000m in 62 seconds but that could only fetch him a second-place finish. He clocked 28:07.66s.

This is a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze level event.