CHANDIGARH, AUG 18 : Reigning Asian Games champion and national record-holder in 3000 metres steeplechase Sudha Singh of Uttar Pradesh and marathon runner Lalita Babbar of Maharashtra fight it
out for the top honours on the third and penultimate day of 18th
Federation Cup Senior National Athletic Championships at the NSNIS tracks in Patiala today.
Lalita did the front running for the first three laps and let Sudha to take over briefly in the remaining part before snatching the lead at the ‘bell’. Sudha trying to regain the pace but could not cope up with the heat after the final water jump. Both Lalita (9:52.34) and Sudha (9:53.54) dipped under the latter’s previous meet mark of 10:13.83 set last year and the Asian Games qualifying norm of 10:05.60. Sudha was the winner of inaugural Asian Games title in this event with a time of 9:55.67 at Guangzhou, four years ago.
Haryana lad Jaiveer clinched the men’s crown in 8:53.36.
GOLDENT DOUBLE FOR PRAJUSHA: Kerala’s M.A. Prajusha completes a golden double as she went on to win her second gold today with a leap of 13.39m in triple jump – exactly the qualifying norm fixed by the Athletics Federation of India for the
forthcoming Asian Games.
Earlier she won the long jump title in thischampionship. Surprisingly the winner had only two valid jumps this evening, 12.63m in third round and the golden one in the next attempt.
However considering her past record – she had at least nine marks better than today’s performance with her personal best 13.72m set during Delhi CWG on top – she is expected to do better in the Asiad in Korea.
National record-holder Mayookha Johny (ONGC) and N.V. Sheena, representing
Gujarat, logged an identical 13.34m but Sheena adjudged silver medalist with her better jump series.
Annu Rani from Uttar Pradesh, who eclipsed the national record in women’s javelin throw with 58.83m during the Lucknow inter-state championships earlier this year, once again touched the 58m that surpassed the meet best of her state-mate Suman Devi who incidentally secured a silver this evening in 54.72m.
National record-holder Sureka Renjith scaled a new season best 4.05m to win the women’s pole vault.
In the men section, Tamil Nadu high jumpers Nikhil Chittarasu (2.21m) and Lakshmanan Yogaraj (2.19m) attained the Incheon qualification while Kerala’s Jithin C. Thomas completes the podium clearing 2.16m.
As expected Olympian K.T. Irfan from Kerala garnered the 20 km race walking gold in the morning as he stopped the clock 1 hour 24 minutes 27.6 seconds with Tamil Nadu’s Ganapathy finished second 30 secs behind.
Results: 20 Km Walk: 1. Irfan K T (Kerala) 1:24:27.60, 2. Ganapathy (TN) 1:24:57.60, 3.Baljinder Singh (Punjab) 1:26:22.70.
Discus Throw: 1. Baljinder Singh (Punjab) 56.01m, 2. Arjun Singh (Tata Motors) 54.62m, 3. Dharmraj Yadav (UP) 53.16m.
3000m Steeplechase: 1 Jaiveer (Haryana) 8:53.36, 2. Manju (BSF) 8:54.43, 3. Amachandran (TN) 9:05.17.
High Jump: 1 Nikhil Chittrasu (TN) 2.21m, 2. Yogaraj (TN) 2.19m, 3. Jithin C Thomas (Kerala) 2.16m
Women: Triple Jump: 1. Prajusha M A (Kerala) 13.39m, 2. Sheena N V (Gujrat) 13.34m, 3. Mayookha Johny (ONGC) 13.34m.
Pole Vault: 1. Sureka (TN) 4.05m, 2. Khyati S Vakharia (Karnataka) 3.70m, 3. Dija C (Gujarat) 3.50m.
Javelin Throw: 1. Annu Rani (UP) 58.00m, 2. Suman Devi (UP) 54.72m, 3. Rupinder Kaur (Punjab) 47.01m.
3000m Steeplechase: 1. Lalita Babar (Maharashtra) 9:52.34 2. Sudha Singh (UP) 9:53.54, 3. Priyanka Patel (Chandigarh) 10:54.25.