OP Jaisha wins gold in the 5000m event at the National Open Athletics Championships

OP Jaisha has already booked a spot in the Rio Olympics

India’s OP Jaisha clinched the gold medal in the 5000m event at the National Open Athletics Championships that is currently being played at the Sports Authority of India, East Centre in Kolkata. The 32-year-old athlete clocked a timing of 15.31.76 seconds, which, incidentally is also now the new meet record and beat Preeja Sreedharan, who finished second with a time of 15.45.96 seconds.

Jaisha has had a good time in the past 12 months, winning the bronze in the 1500m event at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea and then finishing in 18^th place in the marathon event at the recently-concluded World Championships in Beijing and both herself and Sudha Singh, who finished in 19^th place in the same race, beat the former’s national record that had been set at the Mumbai Marathon, earlier in the year.

Bu virtue of that performance, both guaranteed themselves a spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics next year.This is just the opening day of the Championships, which concludes on the 19^th of September.

Congratulations to Jaisha of @afiindia who just won GOLD for the 5000m event at the National Open Athletics Championship!

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) September 16, 2015