The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Pinki Paramanik does an encore

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Pinki Paramanik does an encore

Avinash Nair and K.C. Vijayakumar

BANGALORE: Pinki Paramanik was the toast of the contingent, nay the meet itself. The Bengal girl produced two stunning performances in a matter of under two hours to pocket a double in the Second leg of the Asian Grand Prix athletics championship at the Sree Kanteerava stadium tracks here on Monday evening, under lights.

In front of her home crowd, Pinki (she trained at the SAI South Centre) who did better than in Bangkok clocking 2:04:42 in the two lap event. At Bangkok she had clocked 2:07:08.

Teammate Shanti Saundarajan finished 0.53 seconds behind, but more importantly held back the challenge from the Kazak's and the Uzbek's.

But Pinki was not finished with her day's work. And the cheers was deafening as the sturdy girl switched gears at the straight to cruise through by a comfortable margin ahead of Olga Yereshkova of Kazakhstan in the 400m in a time of 52.46s.

"I'm feeling very proud at this double, achieved in just one evening. The timing too has improved and I'm sure of making it a treble at Pune, having won the 800m at Bangkok too" said an elated Pinki.

Anju Bobby George, the Indian ace long jumper had a testing time at the long jump pit. Jumping for the first time after her heel injury early this month prior to the Super Tour at Doha, the former World Championship bronze medallist took off with a lot of apprehension. "I went all out in the first two jumps. The heel started playing up and I was tentative thereafter. The elevation was missing and I'm not at all happy with my effort. Will take a decision on participation in Pune tomorrow," said the National record holder. Her effort of 6.35 came in her third attempt but slipped thereafter while the tall Olga Rypakova from Kazakstan took the lead in the third (6.37m) and improved upon it in the fourth jump (6.39m) for the gold.

The results:

Men: 800m: 1. Mohajershojaei Ehsan (Iran) 1:47.55s, 2. Francis Sagairaj (Ind) 1:49.79s, 3. Dmitry Tarasenko (Kaz) 1:50.57s; 400m hurdles: 1. Meng Yan (Chn) 49.03s, 2. Yevengenly Meleshenko (Kaz) 49.47s, 3. P. Shankar (Ind) 50.39s.

Women: 200m: 1. Khubbieba Guzel (Uzb) 23.35s, 2. Jutamass Tawongncharoen (Tha) 24.06s, 3. VuThihuong (Vie) 24.30s; 400m: 1. Pinki Paramanik (Ind) 52.46s, 2. Olga Tereshkova (Kaz) 53.25s, 3. Manjit Kaur (Ind) 53.52s; 800m: 1. Pinki Paramanik (Ind) 2:04.42s, 2. Shanti Saundarajan (Ind) 2:04.95s, 3. Amirova Zamira (Uzb) 2:05.85s.

100m hurdles: 1. Feng Yun (Chn) 13.13s, 2. Natatlya Lyoninskaya (Kaz) 13.48s, 3. Dedeh Erawati (Ina) 13.79s; Long jump: 1. Olga Rypakova (Kaz) 6.39 m, 2. Anju Bobby George (Ind) 6.35m, 3. Torres Marestella (Phi) 6.13m; High jump: 1. Marina Aitoya (Kaz) 1.94m (EMR), 2. Tatianan Efimenko (Kgz) 1.92m, 3. Gu Biwei (Chn) 1.89m.

Shot put: 1. Zhang Guirong (Sin) 17.34m, 2. Jiang Ping (Chn) 17.17m, 3. Ioanta Ulyeva (Kaz) 16.87m; discus throw: 1. Song Aimin (Chn) 61.29m, 2. Krishna Punia (Ind) 55.77m, 3. Saroj Sihag (Ind) 50.68m.

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