22 November,2010 08:21 AM IST | | Ashwin Ferro
Runners Preeja and Kavita assured coach Bahadur of success on the morning of their events
Not many would have put their money on India's 10,000m runners Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut to finish on the podium, let alone win a gold and silver, but that's exactly what they did in front of a 70,000-strong packed house at the Aoti Sports Complex. Preeja Sreedharan won the gold clocking 31:50.47, which is also a new national record, while Kavita Raut took silver with a timing of 32:41.31 seconds.
Before they embarked upon the arduous 10,000m journey the girls assured coach Bahadur Singh that they would finish on the podium. "Both Preeja and Kavita came up to me earlier in the day and told me not to worry.
They said 'we feel very confident today and assure you that we will give it our best shot.' I always believe that winning a medal is in God's hands, but one must always give it his/her best shot. I'm glad both Preeja and Kavita gave it their best and the results are there for everyone to see," Bahadur Singh told MiD DAY yesterday.
There is also a healthy rivalry between the two girls. "Both girls train together at national camps and are very hard working.
"It's good to have two good runners in the same event in any team as it only brings out the best in both.
These girls are also entered in the 5000m event here and I'm sure they will do well in that too," added Bahadur.
Familiarity helps
Preeja admitted she never expected gold here. "When I started I, never thought I would get so much (gold and all the adulation). We were here two weeks before the event, and that was the key to our success as we got time to acclimatise," she said.
u00a0Kavita, who had won here before said: "I had won a silver here in 2009 in the Asian Championship, so I was familiar with the conditions. I knew how to run the race."
