Inter-State Athletics: Dominant performance by triple jumpers steals the show on Day Three

Bhubaneswar, June 26 (IANS) Six male triple jumpers were among 13 aspiring athletes breaching Japan Asian Games qualification standards in their respective events on the third day of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) selection committee will decide the Asian Games-bound contingent after the conclusion of the Bhubaneswar competition. Two athletes will represent in each of the track and field events.

Hammer throwers set the ball rolling in the evening session. Punjab’s Damneet Singh hurled an iron ball to a distance of 69.72m to win gold and a better Asian Games qualification mark of 69.12m. Rajasthan’s Praveen Kumar’s silver-winning efforts of 69.58m were also good enough to qualify for the Asian Games.

After the hammer throw final, a dominant performance was witnessed at the discus throw arena. Three Haryana throwers—Seema, Sanya Yadav, and Nidhi—finished in that order, bettering the Asian Games qualification mark of 55.48m.

Men’s triple jump was the third field event that saw the top six leading jumpers achieve the Asian Games qualification mark of 16.28m. Praveen Chithravel won gold with an opening jump of 16.92m,

Away from the field events, national record holder Tejas Shrise was a comfortable winner in the men’s 110m hurdles. His winning time of 13.61 seconds was better than the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games qualification time of 13.63 seconds.

The women’s 400m hurdles heats saw Vithya Ramraj of Tamil Nadu posting a time of 56.69 seconds to stay on course for an Asian Games berth.

Results (Day 3):

Men

110m hurdles (AG Q Time 13.63 seconds): Tejas Shirse (Maharashtra) 13.61 seconds, Manav R (Tamil Nadu) 13.66 seconds, Krishik M (Karnataka) 13.69 seconds.

Hammer throw (AG Q Mark 69.12m): Damneet Singh (Punjab) 69.72m, Praveen Kumar (Rajasthan) 69.58m, Ashish Jakhar (Haryana) 67.61m.

Triple jump (AG Q Mark 16.28m): Praveen Chithravel (Tamil Nadu) 16.92m, Karthik U (Kerala) 16.80m, Selva Prabhu (Tamil Nadu) 16.79m.

4x100m relay: Odisha 39.92 seconds, Tamil Nadu 40.02 seconds, Maharashtra 40.37 seconds.

Women:

Discus throw (AG Q Mark 55.48m): Seema (Haryana) 59.73m, Sanya Yadav (Haryana) 56.05m, Nidhi (Haryana) 55.92m.

21km race walk (AG Q time 1:37:20.00): Munita Prajapati (Uttar Pradesh) 1:45:05.00, Reshma Patel (Uttar Pradesh) 1:45:48.00, Sejla Anil Singh (Maharashtra) 1:46:31.00.

4x100m relay: Karnataka 44.75 seconds, Tamil Nadu 45.07 seconds, Maharashtra 46.21 seconds. Odisha’s women’s team didn’t finish.

Mixed 4x400m relay: Tamil Nadu 3:23.51 seconds, Punjab 3:23.54 seconds, Rajasthan 3:23.85 seconds.

–IANS

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