Olympian Sudha Singh’s supremacy in women’s 3000m steeplechase fetched her an Asian Games berth on Thursday.
The 32-year-old seasoned athlete reaped benefits of her training in Bhutan to clock 9:39.59 in the National inter-State athletics championships at the Indira Gandhi international stadium here. She not only went below the Asian qualifying mark of 9:50.00, but also improved upon her 2013 meet record of 9:45.60 while claiming the title.
Training helped
Sudha, a 2010 Asian Games gold medallist and an Asian champion last year, separated herself from the rest after one lap and crossed the finish line to clock her season best showing.
“The high altitude training in Bhutan really helped me. However, I could not reach my target of 9:25.00. I will continue training with Surender Singh,” said Sudha.
Shivapal Singh proved a point by recording 82.28m in his final attempt and qualifying for the Asian Games in men’s javelin throw.
Ignored for the Finland camp, Shivapal trained at Patiala under coach Kashinath Naik’s guidance to get his new personal best. He will join star thrower Neeraj Chopra, who has been given an exemption, in the Asiad.
Chethan B. Cleared 2.25m to set a new meet record in men’s high jump and make it to the Asiad.
Jisna Mathew (women’s 400m) and Amiya Mallick (men’s 100m) were the prominent names who crashed out in the heats.
The results: Men: High jump (Asian qualifying mark 2.25m): 1. Chethan B. (Kar) 2.25m ( NMR , Old 2.23m, Tejaswin Shankar, 2017), 2. Bharathi V. (TN) 2.21m, 3. Siddharth Yadav (Har) 2.19m.
Javelin (AQM 81m) : 1. Shivpal Singh (UP) 82.28m (NMR, Old 79.67m, Jagdish Bishnoi, 2000), 2. Rajender Singh (Har) 80.63m, 3. Amit Kumar (UP) 78.17m.
3000m Steeplechase (AQM 8:41.40): 1. Naveen Kumar Dagar (Har) 8:39.42 ( NMR , Old 8:42.29, Naveen Kumar, 2014), 2. Shankar Lal Swami (Raj) 8:43.52, 3. Durga Bahadur Budha (UP) 8:46.67.
Discus (AQM 61m): 1. Dharamraj Yadav (UP) 58.60m, 2. Baljinder Singh (Pun) 56.83m, 3. Gagandeep Singh (Pun) 53.45m.
4x100m relay (AQM 38.98): 1. Tamil Nadu 40.22 ( NMR , Old 40.49, Kerala, 2013) 2. Kerala 40.71 , 3. Andhra Pradesh 41.09.
Women:Triple Jump (AQM 13.75m): 1. Sheena N.V. (Ker) 13.38m, 2. K.M. Sonam (Tel) 13.33m, 3. Bhairabi Roy (WB) 13.24m.
Pole Vault (AQM 4.10m): 1. Khyati Vakharia (Kar) 4m, 2. Sureka V.S. (TN) 3.90m, 3. Maria Jaison (Kar) 3.70m.
3000m Steeplechase (AQM 9.50.00): 1. Sudha Singh (UP) 9:39.59 ( NMR , Old 9:45.60, Sudha Singh, 2013), 2. Chinta Yadav (UP) 9:55.41, 3. Chavi Yadav (UP) 9:56.73.
4x100m relay (AQM 44.50): 1. Karnataka 46.12, 2. Tamil Nadu 46.24, 3. Maharashtra 46.31.
