Lalita upsets Sudha, double for Prajusha

Lalita Babar upset the fancied Sudha Singh in the women’s 3000M steeplechase while M A Prajusha completed a double by winning the women’s triple jump gold on the third day of the 18th Federation Cup athletics championships here on Monday.

Lalita clocked 9:52.34 and Sudha 9:53.54, with both the athletes dipping 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.

The men’s 3000M steeplechase witnessed high drama as Haryana’s Naveen who finished first in 8:46.16, was disqualified on the grounds of ‘assistance’ from Assam runner Asish who acted as pacer for most part of the race. On an appeal, Naveen was reinstated.

Prajusha won the triple jump with an effort of 13.39 metres to add to the long jump title she won earlier. National record-holder Mayookha Johny (ONGC) and N V Sheena, representing Gujarat, logged an identical 13.34M but Sheena edged Mayookha on a countback for the silver.

Annu Rani from Uttar Pradesh once again touched the 58M to win the women’s javelin gold.

Tamil Nadu high jumpers Nikhil Chittarasu (2.21M) and Lakshmanan Yogaraj (2.19M) attained the Incheon qualification.

Results: Men: 3000M steeplechase: Naveen (Haryana) 8:46.18, 1; Jaiveer (Haryana) 8:53.36, 2; Manju (BSF) 8:54.43, 3.

High jump: Nikhil Chittarasu (Tamil Nadu) 2.21 metres, 1; Yogaraj (Tamil Nadu) 2.19, 2; Jithin C Thomas (Kerala) 2.16, 3.

Discus throw: Baljinder Singh (Punjab) 56.01 metres, 1; Arjun Singh (Tata Motors) 54.62, 2; Dharmraj Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) 53.16, 3.

20Km walk: Irfan K T (Kerala) 1:24:27.60, 1; Ganapathy (Tamil Nadu) 1:24:57.60, 2; Baljinder Singh (Punjab) 1:26:22.70, 3.

Women: Triple jump: Prajusha M A (Kerala) 13.39 metres, 1; Sheena N V (Gujarat) 13.34, 2; Mayookha Johny (ONGC) 13.34, 3.

Pole vault: V S Sureka (Tamil Nadu) 4.05 metres, 1; Khyati S Vakharia (Karnataka) 3.70, 2; Dija K C (Gujarat) 3.50, 3.

Javelin throw: Annu Rani (Uttar Pradesh) 58.00 metres, 1; Suman Devi (Uttar Pradesh) 54.72, 2; Rupinder Kaur (Punjab) 47.01, 3.

3000M steeplechase: Lalita Babar (Maharashtra) 9:52.34, 1; Sudha Singh (Uttar Pradesh) 9:53.54, 2; Priyanka Patel (Chandigarh) 10:54.25, 3.