Athletics
Parvej Khan qualifies for NCAA Indoor Championship final with fastest last lap
Parvej Khan, representing the University of Florida, clocked 3:57.13s to secure his place in the final. He runs the fastest last lap - 26.58, displaying his tremendous closing speed.
Parvej Khan will compete in the final NCAA Indoor Championship on Sunday.
India's Parvej Khan pulled the sprint in the last lap to finish third in Heat 1 of the mile race and qualify for the final of the NCAA Indoor Championship in Gainesville, Florida, USA, on Friday night.
Khan, representing the University of Florida, clocked 3:57.13s to secure his place in the final. He runs the fastest last lap - 26.58, displaying his tremendous closing speed.
He will compete in the final, to be held on Sunday evening, Indian Standard Time (IST).
Adam Spencer clocked 3:57.08s to top the heat, while Joe Waskom came second with a timing of 3:57.13s.
The 19-year-old from Haryana's Mewat is the first-ever Indian track athlete to compete in the American collegiate circuit, arguably the most competitive collegiate competition in the world.
Khan, however, is not the first Indian athlete to compete in the USA. In the past, Tejaswin Shankar, Mohinder Singh Gill and Vikas Gowda won gold medals at the NCAA championships in the high jump, triple jump and discus throw, respectively.
But Khan is the only Indian track and field athlete to compete in the NCAA Championship, and with this phenomenal run, he caught the attention of the whole world.
After watching the Heat 1, Shankar posted on X, "Pumped to see Parvez Khan. If it’s a slower race he is winning hands down! If I were coaching his competitor I would tell them to run the first few laps like their life depends on it. He will hunt you down!"
Last month, Khan won the first men's mile title for Florida University since 2011 by clocking 4:00.18 at the Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships at Randal Tyson Track Centre in Arkansas.
