Govindan Lakshmanan (born 5 June 1990 in Sokkurani, Pudukottai district, Tamil Nadu, India[1]) is an Indian distance runner. On the track, he mostly competes over 5000 metres and 10,000 metres,[2] but has also run the half marathon competitively.[3][4]

Govindan Lakshmanan
Personal information
NationalityIndian
Born (1990-06-05) 5 June 1990 (age 34)
Sport
CountryIndia
SportTrack and field
Event(s)5000 metres
10,000 metres
Achievements and titles
Personal best13:35.69 (London 2017)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  India
Asian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2017 Bhubaneswar 10,000 m
Gold medal – first place 2017 Bhubaneswar 5000 m
Silver medal – second place 2015 Wuhan 10,000 m
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Wuhan 5000 m
Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games
Gold medal – first place 2017 Ashgabat 3000 m
Updated on 30 December 2017

Early life

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Lakshmanan lost his father to a car accident when he was six, and was adopted by his neighbour S. Loganathan. His mother Jayalakshmi is a small farmer. Under Loganathan's tutelage, Lakshmanan began training in long-distance running when he was 16,[2] along with the former's daughter Suriya, in Youth Sports Club in the village of Kavinadu near the town of Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu.[5]

Career

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He represented India at the 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, placing 74th overall. Competing over 5000 metres at the 2015 Wuhan Asian Championships, Lakshmanan won the bronze medal with a time of 13:36.62.[6] He won the 10,000 metres silver medal with a time of 29:42.81.[7] At the next Championships, he won the 5000 metres gold medal with a time of 14:54.48, becoming only the third Indian to win gold in the event at the Championships, and the first since 1993. The time was however the slowest in the Championships' history for a winner. The victory earned him a qualification for the London World Championships that year.[8] In London, he ran his personal best of 13:35.69.[citation needed]

At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia; he won bronze medal but was later stripped as he was disqualified for lane infringement.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Athletes - Lakshmanan Govindan". Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Asian Athletic Championships: 5,000 m gold medallist G Lakshmanan once practised barefoot". The Times of India. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  3. ^ "G Lakshmanan, Monika Athare Best Indians At Delhi Half Marathon". NDTV. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Army runners Neeraj Pal, G Lakshmanan, Kavita Raut of ONGC set new marathon course marks". Daily News and Analysis. 21 December 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  5. ^ Selvaraj, Jonathan (2 June 2017). "Siblings Lakshmanan and Suriya united by love for running". ESPN. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Poovamma, Joseph win silver medals in Asian Athletics Championships". The Hindu. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Vikas Gowda, Lalita Babbar win gold at Asian Athletics Championships in China". Daily News and Analysis. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Hadadi wins fifth Asian discus title in Bhubaneswar". International Association of Athletics Federations. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  9. ^ "Asian Games 2018: Why Govindan Lakshmanan was denied a bronze medal". 26 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
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