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Athletics
By S. Thyagarajan
CHENNAI, JULY 18. If the soul and spirit of competitive athletics is the quest for a new frontier of excellence then none exemplified it more eloquently than the wiry 30-year old Bobby Aloysius. This Sunday evening unfolded like an enchanting dream for this doughty warrior, who courted the moment she was waiting for with predictable ecstacy. And that point surfaced when Bobby Aloysius touched the career best jump of 1.91m to achieve the B qualifying norm for the Olympics in Athens. For those disenchanted with this year's Inter-State meet being devoid of the usual glamour because of the absence of the top stars, who are training in Ukraine, the quality performance of Bobby Aloysius came as a balm. Assiduously endeavouring to touch that magic figure eluding her for over a year now, Bobby Aloysius, trained in Moscow last year and in England for the last few months to realise the dream. Her efforts to make the grade from UK did not succeed; the best could not go beyond 1.88m. Bobby's final chance was on Sunday and she seized it with glee. Sailing over the bar effortlessly, starting from 1.70m and progressively moving up the bar to 1.75m, 1.80m and 1.83. She failed the first attempt at 1.87m. Getting into a graceful rhythm by now, Bobby asked the bar be raised to 1.91m, the target she wanted to conquer. The first powerful diagonal run and take off were not enough. She hit the bar and slumped. Then she came with another quick run, but missed the step at the take off point. She checked herself and went on to prepare for another try. Looking calm and composed, she started the next run determined perhaps to smash the record. And this she did amidst spontaneous cheers. She brushed against the bar, which wobbled threateningly for a second or two, but did not dislodge from the groove. Bobby's conquest was complete. Quite predictably, she slipped into the arms of elation even as she slumped on the foam mat, soaked in tears of joy, jumped around in a demonstration of her glee for having achieved a milestone for which she has been labouring for months. Bobby's 1.91m not only ensured her an Olympic qualifying norm but also bettered her own national and inter-State record of 1.90m, set in 2002 at Bangalore. Looking relaxed and relieved after the event, Bobby Aloysius, who hails from Chemberi in Cannanore, acknowledged the support and guidance extended by her husband and coach Shajjan Scaria. She is employed with the Customs and based in Chennai.
Shanthi makes history
Tamil Nadu's S. Shanthi made history becoming the first athlete from the state to earn a gold medal in 1500 metres. This was the first event of the day and set the tone and tenor for the competitions. The Pudukottai born 23-year old Shanthi is a final year student in JJ College. Delhi competitors, Piyush Kumar and Poonam Tomar, demolished all opposition in the short sprint. For Piyush it was a start to finish effort. But Poonam missed the start, picked up velocity after about 20 metres to emerge a clear winner. At the shotput pit, the focus was on Shakti Singh, but eventually it turned out to be on Ranvijay Singh who acheived a distance of 20.26m on his sixth throw missing the A qualifying mark of 20.30m.
Men: 100m: 1.Piyush Kumar (Delhi) (10.44s), 2. R.Sreenivasan (MP) (10.72s), 3. Ganesh Satpute (Maha) (10.73s)
1500m: 1.Pritam Bind (UTR) (3:54.27s); 2. Arun D'Souza (AP) (3:54.71s); 3.Binesh Soman (Ker) (3:55.28s).
10,000m: 1.Santosh Kumar (UP) (31:49.06s), 2. Soji Moathew (Ker) (31:49.63s), 3. W.Joi Kumar (Delhi) (31:53.09s)
Pole vault: 1. Praveen Kumar (Har) (4.65m), 2. Gajanan Upadyay (UP) (4.60m); 3. Ranjit Kumar (TN) (4.50m).
Long Jump: 1. Sanjay Kumar Rai (WB) (7.84m), 2. Ashok Kumar (TN) (7.65 m); 3. Rajesh Babu (Ker) (7.62m).
Shot put: 1. Ranvijay Singh (UP) (20.26m), 2. Navpreet Singh (Punjab) (19.93m), 3. Shakti Singh (Har) (19.47m).
Hammer throw: 1. Bir Karan Singh (Punjab) (61.80m), 2. Nirbhay Singh (UP) (61.20m); 3. Kulwinder Singh (Punjab) (59.58m).
Women: 100m: 1. Poonam Tomar (Delhi) (11.68s), 2. Rakhee Saha (WB) (12.01s), 3. K.N. Priya (TN) (12.08s).
1500m: 1. S. Shanthi (TN) (4.30.02s), 2. Sunita Khanojia (Delhi) (4:30.40s), 3.Preeja Sridharan (Ker) (4:33.32s).
High Jump: 1.Bobby Aloysius (Ker) 1.91m (NR and meet record), 2. Sahana Kumari (Kar) (1.80m), 3. M. Sangeetha (TN) (1.70m).
Triple Jump: 1.Jincy Philip (Ker) (12.72m), 2. K.Revathy (TN) (12.66m); 3. Shahana Sulaiman (Kerala) (12.25m).
Shot put: 1. N. Latha (TN) (15.93 m); 2. Chaitali Paul (WB) (13.49m); 3.Ketki Bakore (Maha) (12.29m).
Javelin throw: 1. M.K. Prajisha (Ker) (50.78m), 2. Manisha Mondal (WB) (48.65m); Suman Devi (UP) (48.41m).
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