Tamil Nadu’s C. Praveen hoping to complete a golden double was pipped at the post by Haryana’s Bhupender Singh of Haryana on the second to last jump in long jump while javelin thrower Vikas Yadav of Maharashtra won his Gold Medal with a best throw of 75.02m on an exciting day’s competition in the first Khelo India School games at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Praveen joined sprinter-jumper AncySojan and jumper Sandra Babu as double medallist. While Praveen won gold in triple and silver in long jump, AncySojan won a gold in long jump and silver in 200m in a single day and Sandra won silver medals in long and triple jumps.Long jumper Bhupender produced the two best jumps of the day of 6.99m and 7.04 metres in his last two attempts, while Praveen was left stranded at 6.93m and a silver medal. A day earlier Praveen had won the triple jump.
Following his twin medals, a gold and a silver in the triple jump and long jump, the Class XI student of Balakrishnan Matriculation School, Praveen was very happy with the incentive this competition provides. “The incentive for future training under the Khelo India School Games is excellent. In fact all the competitors are excited with this,” said Praveen.
The winner, Bhupender, presently studying 10th standard in Divine Light School, said, “My parents have always been supportive of my playing sport. Ganga Dutt, Coach of Department of sports and Youth Affairs (Panchkula), was there to guide me and I started serious sport from Class 8 under his guidance.”
He added, “I am very excited about the upcoming 2018 Summer Youth Olympics to be held in October in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But before that I have qualify for it at the Youth National Qualifiers organized by Athletics Federation of India, in July.”
Kerala’s 16-year-olkd AncySojan carrying on in the tradition of the fine jumpers from her state won two medals on the second day. She grabbed the gold in long jump with a best of 5.80m despite fouling four of her six jumps. She also won a silver in the Girls 200m behind Chanveer Kaur of Punjab, who won in 24.76s, while Ancy clocked 25.31s.
“I am grateful to my parents that they encouraged me to play sport. I am blessed that they were both athletes in their time and I could take to athletics myself,” said AncySojan, who had won four gold in the SGFI National championships in Bhopal, completing the sprint double, long jump and playing a part in the State team’s sprint relay win.
Taking the Girls long jump silver behind Ancy was Sandra Babu, also from Kerala. She jumped 5.68m and it was her second silver, after finishing second in Triple jump a day earlier.
The Javelin Throw for Boys saw a dramatic competition with Vikas Yadav of Maharashtra claiming Gold in the sixth and final attempt with a throw of 75.02m. Yashveer Singh of Haryana, who had three throws of over 70 metres, as against two by the winner, claimed the silver with 73.87m. Arpit Yadav of Uttar Pradesh won the silver with a best of 71.90m, while fourth placed Suraj Kumar of UP missed out a medal despite 70.60m. With top four throwers crossing 70 metres, it was an engrossing competition.
The Pole Vault for Girls saw a fine performance from Tamil Nadu’s T.Sathya who won the event with a promising 3.50m. Comparing this to the Indian National Record of 4.15 by Surekha, it indicates a lot of potential for Sathya.
In the boys 200m, Karnataka’s Shashikanth V A ran a superb final 50m to clinch the Gold in 21.82 seconds, ahead of his friend, Karan Hegiste of Maharashtra, who clocked 21.98s and Anshul of Delhi was a distant third in 22.27s.
The Girls Javelin was dominated by the Northern states Haryana, Punjab and Delhi as Jyoti of Haryana claimed the gold with a narrow margin as she threw the spear to 40.59 m to Delhi’s Auhona Roy’s 39.90m with Jashanpreet Kaur managing 37.10m.
Athletics results (all finals)
Boys:
200m: 1. VA Shashikanth (Karnataka) 21.82 seconds, 2. Karan Hegiste (Maharashtra) 21.98, 3. Anshul (Delhi) 22.27.
Long jump: 1. Bhupender Singh (Haryana) 7.04m, 2. C Praveen (Tamil Nadu) 6.93m, 3. Mohammed Shahrukh (Uttar Pradesh) 6.87m.
Javelin throw: 1. Vikas Yadav (Maharashtra) 75.02m, 2. Yashveer Singh (Haryana) 73.87m, 3. Arpit Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 71.90m.
Girls:
200m: 1. Chanveer Kaur (Punjab) 24.76 seconds, 2. AncySojan (Kerala) 25.31, 3. Santra Teresa Martin (Tamil Nadu) 25.44.
Long jump: 1. AncySojan (Kerala) 5.80m, 2. Sandra Babu (Kerala) 5.68m, 3. P Babisha (Tamil Nadu) 5.62m.
Pole vault: 1. T Sathya (Tamil Nadu) 3.50m; 2. Reshma Patel (Uttar Pradesh) 2.80, 3. R Sreelakshmi (Kerala) 2.40.
Javelin throw: 1. Jyoti (Haryana) 40.59m, 2. Auhona Roya (Delhi) 39.90m, 3. Jashnpreet Kaur (Punjab) 37.10m.
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PP/HK
