Harshith leaps to gold

Karnataka lad clinches hosts lone yellow metal; five records smashed

Five junior national records and three meet marks were broken on the first day of the championship.

Harshith cleared a height of 2.02 metres to pocket the boys’ under-18 high jump title, a good three centimetres more than nearest rival Sikander from Haryana. Sikander and Vikas Kumar both cleared 1.99 metres but the former got the silver on countback while Vikas received bronze.

Harshith was in total control as the 17-year-old sailed past 1.85, 1.90, 1.96, 1.99 and 2.02 on his first attempt itself. The MES College first Pre-University student then went for 2.07 but failed in all three attempts. “I wasn’t that lucky today,” said Harshith, who has a personal best of 2.06 achieved at the South Zone meet here in August.

The day’s best performance came from Shakti Solanki, who rewrote the national record in the under-14 boys’ shot put by a huge 4.30 metres. The bubbly Delhiite, who turns 14 on December 17 and has a build that belies his age, threw the iron-ball to a distance of 17.71 for the gold.  Shakti shattered the old mark of 13.41 created last year in Warangal by N Neethin of Kerala.

Other national marks were broken by Shuvhendu Mishra of Uttar Pradesh (under-16 boys’ shot put), Dutee Chand of Orissa (under-16 girls’ 100M heats), Raju Kumar Mahto of Jharkhand (under-14 boys’ 600M) and Therese Joseph of Kerala (under-14 girls’ 600M).
Apart from Harshith’s gold, Karnataka won three silver and two bronze medals.

Shajahani (under-20 girls’ javelin throw), Rashmi K (under-18 girls’ javelin throw) and Niveditha S (under-14 girls’ shot put) won silver while Sridhar RS Bhajantri (under-20 boys’ 10000M) and Supreeth (under-20 boys’ high jump) claimed bronze. Kerala lead the table with four gold, one silver and two bronze.

Results: Boys: U-20: 10000M: Yogendra Kumar (UP) 32:25.46, 1; Kalidas Hirve (Mah) 32:47.58, 2; Sridhar R S Bhajantri (Kar) 33:19.91, 3. Long jump: B Azarudeen (TN) 7.52M. New meet record (Old: 7.49, AK Shani, Ker, 2002) 1; Rabi Das (Ori) 7.49, 2. EMR; Arpinder Singh (Pun) 7.39, 3. High jump: K Gowtham (TN) 2.04M, 1; Arun S Kumar (Mah) 2.04, 2; Supreeth (Kar) 2.04, 3. Discus throw: Vikas (Har) 53.09M, 1; Arjun (Del) 52.10, 2; K Dhurgarao (AP) 51.02, 3. U-18: High jump: Harshith S (Kar) 2.02M, 1; Sikander (Har) 1.99, 2; Vikas Kumar (AP) 1.99, 3. Discus throw: Sikander Jeet Singh (Pun) 54.14M, 1; Sachin (Har) 52.93, 2; Govind Rai (Mah) 51.66, 3. U-16: 3000M: Nagraj Khursane (Mah) 8:50.93, 1; Anikt Malik (Har) 8:53.40, 2; Loverinder Singh (Jhar) 9:05.94, 3. Shot put: Shuvhendu Mishra (UP) 17.14M. NR (Old: 15.79, Navin, Har, 2004) 1; Monu (Har) 15.92, 2; BMR; R Ravi Teja (AP) 13.96, 3. U-14: 600M: Raju Kumar Mahto (Jhar) 1:27.99. NR (Old: 1:28.18, Rakesh, Har, 2009) 1; Ravi Kumar (Jhar) 1:28.23, 2. BMR; Nishu Kumar (Uttr) 1:28.40, 3. BMR. Shot put: Shakti Solanki (Del) 17.71M. NR (Old: 13.41, N Neethin, Ker, 2009) 1; Naveen (Har) 13.14, 2 BMR; Sudheesh B (Ker) 12.47, 3. Girls: U-20: 3000M: Arti Yadav (MP) 10:08.29 , 1; Monika Athare (Mah) 10:08.89, 2; Sobha V V (Ker) 10:22.88, 3. High jump: Steny Michael (Ker) 1.65, 1; Sunita (Har) 1.60, 2; M Arockia Elizabeth Rose (TN) 1.55, 3. Javelin throw: Annu Rani (UP) 43.36M, 1; Shajahani (Kar) 40.26, 2; Sophia Kispotta (Jhar) 38.40, 3. U-18: Triple jump: Pooja Jangra (Har) 12.01M, 1; Kalyani Niranjan Sikandar (WB) 11.52, 2; M A Siva Ambarasi (TN) 11.51, 3. Javelin throw: P Madhupriya (TN) 37.55M, 1; Rashmi K (Kar) 37.41, 2; Kalpana Roy (WB) 34.55, 3. U-16: 3000M: Chithra P U (Ker) 10:18.53, 1; Jyoti Saini (Pun) 10:22.33, 2; Mamta Kanwal (Uttr) 10:29.10, 3. Long jump: Nayana James (Ker) 5.79M. NMR (Old: 5.73, Ruta Patkar, Mah, 1999) 1; Jenimol Joy (Ker) 5.65, 2; G Karthika (TN) 5.57, 3. U-14: 600M: Therese Joseph (Ker) 1:36.48. NR (Old: 1:39.82, TN, 2008) 1; Oliviya Ann Maria Thomas (Pud) 1:36.75, 2. BMR; Shiva Shakya (UP) 1:38.41, 3. BMR. Shot put: Preeti Rani (Har) 9.32M. NMR (Old: 9.17, Athira M, Ker, 2008) 1; Niveditha S (Kar) 8.77, 2; Charushila Chinchkar (Mah) 8.52, 3.