Tintu Luka takes an impressive 400/800m double at the 2010 Indian national championships (© Organisers)
Kochi, IndiaWith two important multisport events to be held this year – The Commonwealth Games at New Delhi in October and the Asian Games at Guangzhou a month later – a slot on the national team was what was on everyone’s mind when 697 athletes representing their respective states or departments took part in the four day Indian championships here, which concluded on Tuesday (18) evening at Maharaja’s College Grounds.
As expected there had been a couple of good performances one one new national mark being bettered in the early season meet by the women athletes. Steeplechaser Sudha Singh improved her own mark to 10:09.56 for the lone record. Kavita Raut, the double gold medallist in last year’s Asian Championships at Guangzhou, stunned the local girl Preeja Sreedharan for a creditable win in the 10,000m with a 32:41.31 clocking.
Indian athletes are popular in middle distance running, especially at the continental level. Geeta Zutshi, Shiny Wilson, Jyotirmoyee Sikdar and Beenamol were universally known in their hey-days. The soon-be-joining the elite club will be phenomenal Tintu Luka, a prodigy of legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha and a product of her innovative Usha School of Athletics (USA). She was another athlete who won a double (400-800m) at this championships. Her 2:01.61 personal best in 800m was a really brilliant one considering the trying conditions that prevailed here.
The meet also saw two noteworthy marks by junior athletes in the jumping arena through Ankit Sharma (7.73m in the men’s Long Jump) and Govindaraj Gayathri (13.39m in the women’s Triple Jump). Gayathri (19), the double silver medallist in the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune two years ago, has secured a ’golden double’ with yet another victory in 100m hurdles.
Sharma (17), bronze medallist in last year’s World Cup for Schools in Estonia, was a fifth-place finisher at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone. Beginning his sports career as a volleyball player, Sharma received basic training in jumping from his father. Presently coached by Shivili Evgeniy, he is expected to make waves and is ambitious to get a medal in the forthcoming Asian junior championships at Hanoi as well as the IAAF World Junior Championships at Moncton, Canada.
Among the men, triple jumper Renjith Maheswary (16.97m), intermediate hurdler Joseph Abraham (50.67 secs) and steeplechaser Elam Singh (8:39.18) returned with good performances. The Indian Railways team retained the overall championship title by securing 18 gold, 14 silver and 18 bronze medals.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Click here for the results
As expected there had been a couple of good performances one one new national mark being bettered in the early season meet by the women athletes. Steeplechaser Sudha Singh improved her own mark to 10:09.56 for the lone record. Kavita Raut, the double gold medallist in last year’s Asian Championships at Guangzhou, stunned the local girl Preeja Sreedharan for a creditable win in the 10,000m with a 32:41.31 clocking.
Indian athletes are popular in middle distance running, especially at the continental level. Geeta Zutshi, Shiny Wilson, Jyotirmoyee Sikdar and Beenamol were universally known in their hey-days. The soon-be-joining the elite club will be phenomenal Tintu Luka, a prodigy of legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha and a product of her innovative Usha School of Athletics (USA). She was another athlete who won a double (400-800m) at this championships. Her 2:01.61 personal best in 800m was a really brilliant one considering the trying conditions that prevailed here.
The meet also saw two noteworthy marks by junior athletes in the jumping arena through Ankit Sharma (7.73m in the men’s Long Jump) and Govindaraj Gayathri (13.39m in the women’s Triple Jump). Gayathri (19), the double silver medallist in the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune two years ago, has secured a ’golden double’ with yet another victory in 100m hurdles.
Sharma (17), bronze medallist in last year’s World Cup for Schools in Estonia, was a fifth-place finisher at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Bressanone. Beginning his sports career as a volleyball player, Sharma received basic training in jumping from his father. Presently coached by Shivili Evgeniy, he is expected to make waves and is ambitious to get a medal in the forthcoming Asian junior championships at Hanoi as well as the IAAF World Junior Championships at Moncton, Canada.
Among the men, triple jumper Renjith Maheswary (16.97m), intermediate hurdler Joseph Abraham (50.67 secs) and steeplechaser Elam Singh (8:39.18) returned with good performances. The Indian Railways team retained the overall championship title by securing 18 gold, 14 silver and 18 bronze medals.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Click here for the results
