Mumbai: Distance runner Lalita Babar, who created a piece of history in Beijing yesterday by becoming the first track athlete from India to reach the final round in the IAAF World Championships, says her excellent timing in the heats gave a big boost to her confidence for the final.


Lalita Babar 

"Getting to the final was a great achievement. The timing in the heats also gave me a lot of confidence," said Lalita who finished eighth in women's 3000m steeplechase final by clocking 9:29.64, according to a release from JSW Sports, which supports her. The timing in the final was, however, slower than the new national record that the 26-year-old reigning Asian champion from Satara in Maharashtra had set in the semifinal heats (9:27.86).