Goa: National youth shot put record-holder Meghna Devanga successfully defended her title on the opening day of 11th National Youth Athletics Championships here on Sunday. She also created a new meet record by putting the shot to a new distance of 14.63m.
The GMC Athletics Stadium in Bambolim, which was built especially for the Lusofonia Games organised by Goa earlier this year, had the honour of hosting the state’s first-ever national athletics championships.
Earlier in the morning, Maharashtra’s Kisan Tadvi (8:31.77) and U.P. girl Sudha Pal (10:40.81) took away the gold medals in the 3,000m race for boys and girls respectively. Last year’s winner Abhishek Pal (Assam) could manage only a second place in the boys’ event.
Discus thrower Priyanka opened Haryana’s account by hurling the disc to 38.07. She also won a bronze medal in shot put. Her teammate Pushpa Jakhar retained her first place in the javelin throw.
100m finals, the marquee event of the day, witnessed fierce competition between three athletes. While U.P. lad Rahul Kumar had an edge over the rest to win the men’s crown in 10.97 secs, the next two places were decided by photo-finish as Kshitij Bhoite (Maharashtra) and Kerala sprinter U. Nithin returned an identical 10.99 secs.
Ankita Gosavi from Maharashtra, a specialist in hurdles, won the women’s 100m sprint clocking 12.49 secs. Odisha girl Senkuta Kullu was one place up from her last year’s bronze position to silver medal here in 12.54s. She went on to collect her second silver through long jump (5.46m) later in the evening in which Athira Surendran of Kerala earned the top spot with a leap of 5.55m.
Results:
BOYS:
100m: 1. Rahul Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 10.97 secs, 2. Kshitij Bhoite (Maharashtra) 10.99s, 3. U. Nithin (Kerala) 10.99s; 3,000m: 1. Kisan Tadvi (Maharashtra) 8:31.77, 2. Abhishekh Pal (Assam) 8:32.96, 3. Arjun Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 8:33.01; Shot Put: 1. Nishan Singh (Punjab) 17.56m, 2. Abhishek Mishra (Uttar Pradesh) 16.33m, 3. Ikrar Mohammed (Andhra Pradesh) 16.09m;
GIRLS:
100m: 1. Ankita Gosavi (Maharashtra) 12.49 secs, 2. Sekunta Kulu (Odisha) 12.54s, 3. Shivangi D. Rawat (Delhi) 12.69s; 3,000m: 1. Sudha Pal (Uttar Pradesh) 10:40.81, 2. P.R. Aleesha (Kerala) 10:50.02, 3. Reenu (Haryana) 10:50.98; Long Jump: 1. Athira Surendran (Kerala) 5.55m, 2. Sekunta Kullu (Odisha) 5.46m, 3. Ramya (Tamil Nadu) 5.37m; Shot Put: 1. Meghna Devanga (Maharashtra) 14.63m (New Meet Record), 2. T. Nivetha (Karnataka) 12.66m, 3. Priyanka (Haryana) 12.44m; Discus Throw: 1. Priyanka (Haryana) 38.07m, 2. Sonal Goyal (Delhi) 37.54m, 3. Nivethita Prashant (Karnataka) 34.75m; Javelin Throw: 1. Pushpa Jakhar (Haryana) 46.80m, 2. Anju Patil (Uttar Pradesh) 39.13m, 3. J. Rajna (Kerala) 38.50m;