Yeshnil Karan demonstrated his continued progress and dedication to athletics last Saturday at the Cathy Freeman Shield in Brisbane, Australia.
Competing in his first 1500m event of the 2024 Athletics season, he achieved a notable personal best, finishing with an impressive time of 3 minutes and 53.19 seconds.
This time marked an improvement of nearly five seconds from his previous best. His outstanding performance solidified his position as the third-fastest runner in Fiji athletics’ history for the men’s 1500m event.
This accomplishment surpassed the performances of several renowned athletes from previous years including Isireli Naikelekelevesi, Davendra Prakash Singh and Moses Zarak Khan.
Karan’s achievement also set a new standard for Fiji athletes, as his time is the fastest recorded by a Fiji athlete in over four decades.
Only Rick Kermode, with a time of 3 minutes and 42.81 seconds in 1982, and Usaia Sotutu, with a time of 3 minutes and 51.50 seconds set 52 years ago, outrank him.
Kermode held the title of world number one in the 800m event in 1974, achieving this feat at the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Naikelekelevesi, who played a significant role in training Yeshnil during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic, was quick to offer his congratulations.
He commended Yeshnil for his dedication and hard work, stating that he always believed in Yeshnil’s potential to surpass his own performances.
Naikelekelevesi expressed his pride in helping shape Yeshnil into the exceptional athlete he is today and congratulated him on his latest accomplishments.
Karan’s remarkable performance at the Cathy Freeman Shield showcased his commitment to excellence and his determination to continue reaching new heights in athletics.
