Dangs sprinter Murli Gavit, the son of a farmer and a third year arts college student, has bagged the bronze medal for the country in 5,000-metre race in the 17th Asian Junior Athletics Championship 2016 held at Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam on June 5. Murli’s talent was spotted in the Khel Mahakumbh, a state-level talent hunt organised by the Gujarat government in 2013 and 2014.
Gavit (19) is the second and youngest son of Tulsibhai Gavit, a farmer and his wife Kavita of Kumarbandh village in Vaghai taluka in Dangs district in South Gujarat. In the 5,000 meter final race, Murli Gavit completed the race in 14.49 minutes and won bronze medal. Two Japanese sprinters – Takato Suzuki came first in the race (4.16 minutes) and Aizawa Akira bagged the second prize (14.32 minutes). Murli Gavit is studying in 3rd year in BA in a college in Vansda in Dangs district. The Kumarbandh villagers celebrated his victory in a grand manner.
Tulsibhai Gavit said, “We are very much happy that my son had won bronze medal for our country. He is a good runner and even when we used to send him to the market to purchase vegetables, he used to run to the market.” Murli Gavit said, “Thanks to Khel Mahakumbh in Gujarat, I have been identified by the sport experts in the state and I was topper in the running race. Now my next goal is to participate in the World Junior Athletic Championship (under 20) which is going to take place in Poland in July 2016. I will work harder and will win gold medal. My dream is to represent India internationally and win gold medals. My role model is my parents, who had worked hard and even motivated me to run and even supported me on all my decisions.”
