Athletics legend Milkha 'better and more stable': Hospital

Chandigarh, June 4 (IANS) Legendary athlete Milkha Singh, who was on Thursday admitted to a local hospital after he complained of a low oxygen level, is stable and is being monitored by a team of medical experts, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) said on Friday.

"Flying Sikh Shri Milkha Singh ji being unwell due to Covid-19 was admitted in ICU of NHE block of the PGIMER on Thursday. On the basis of all the medical parameters on Friday, his condition has been observed better and more stable than Thursday. He is being closely monitored by a team of three doctors at PGIMER," said professor Ashok Kumar, official spokesperson of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), in a medical bulletin on Friday.

While 91-year-old Singh was earlier admitted to Fortis Hospital in nearby Mohali, on Thursday he was taken to the PGIMER in his home city Chandigarh.

Four days after he was discharged from a Mohali hospital, he complained of low oxygen level and was admitted again to a local hospital in Chandigarh.

Singh's wife Nirmal is still in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is under observation in Fortis, Mohali.

Nirmal, 82, was last week admitted to the hospital after she tested positive for Covid-19 pneumonia.

Singh is best known for his exploits during the 400m race at the 1960Rome Olympic Games where he missed the podium by a whisker. He clocked 45.73secs to finish fourth in a photo finish.

Singh's record was broken by Paramjeet Singh at a national meet in Kolkata in 1998. Paramjeet clocked 45.70 secs on a synthetic track while Singh had run on a cinder track.