Nikita bags gold in 5000 m, bronze for women's karate team

Nagpur, May 2

Nikita Raut, while representing RTM Nagpur University, bagged the gold medal in the second Khelo India University Games held at Jain University, Bangalore.

In karate, the women's team of Nagpur University won a bronze medal.

In the women's 5,000 meter race held on Monday morning, runner Nikita Raut won the first place. Nikita covered a distance of 5, 000 metres in 16 minutes 55.38 seconds and achieved a gold medal.

Bharti of Maharshi Dayanand University bagged the silver medal with a time of 16 minutes 56.19 seconds and Poonam Sonune of Savitribai Phule University Pune bagged the gold medal with a time of 17 minutes 41.75 seconds. Nikita Raut is a student of Mahila Mahavidyalaya Nagpur. Significantly, international sprinter Nikita had to settle for sixth place in the 5000 meters at the All India University Athletics Championships this year. However, she made a strong comeback in the Khelo India event and clinched her gold medal by defeating her rival from Maharshi Dayanand University by 1.78 seconds.

In the women's karate category, Nagpur University team comprising of Rajshri Mahurle, Payal Kodwate and Hrithika Araikar bagged the third place. Deepanshu, representing Nagpur University, also bagged a silver medal in the men's 125 kg freestyle event. The gold medal was won by Rajesh of BMU and the bronze medal was won by Ankush of IGU.