Jinson's Day Out In Berlin

The runner qualifies for Worlds as he betters national record to clinch silver

- Aditya K Halder

NATION’S top mid-distance runner Jinson Johnson took his performance to another level on Sunday in the 1500m race when he shaved off more than two seconds off his national record to clinch silver medal at the ISTAF Berlin.

Clocking 3 minute 35.24 seconds in a competitive field of 18 runners, the 28-year-old army man didn’t just rewrite his personal best (of 3:37.62 in Netherlands in June) but also confirmed his Doha ticket for the World Championship from September — whose qualifying mark is 3:36.00 secs.

While ranked at the ninth position in the start list, that included runners who clocked as fast as 3:35.10 secs this season, Jinson’s chances of winning a medal at an IAAF World Challenge Meeting (the second tier of global one day athletics events) seemed dim.