Kerala State School Athletic Championship: Mar Basil leads title race

THENHIPALAM: Defending champions Ernakulam are facing stiff competition from Palakkad in the race for overall championship while in the school's category Mar Basil HSS Kothamangalam are leading with 98 points, followed by Kallady HSS Palakkad (73) on the penultimate day of the 60th State School Athletic Championship here on Monday. Ernakulam are the leading the overall title with 207 points, closely followed by Palakkad (193 points). Eight meet records were shattered on the day as Palakkad schools gained upper-hand in the jump and long distance events.

Aparna Roy of St Joseph's Pulloorampara in Kozhikode had a field day as she clinched two gold medals including a performance bettering national school meet record in the junior girls' 100m hurdles. She clocked 14.29 sec to erase Dibi Sebastian's record set three years ago and also better her own national record. Later she bagged her second gold medal in the 4x100m relay for Kozhikode team. She has also won silver medals in 100m and long jump.

The 4x100m relay events also witnessed tensed races and meet records in the junior girls and senior boys were set by Kozhikode and Ernakulam respectively. While Kozhikode won the junior girls race led by Aparna Roy and Suryamol, in the senior boys category, Ernakulam clinched the victory by a photo finish, defeating Palakkad in the last gasp. Race walkers Aneesh A of Parli HSS and Sandra Surendran of Kalladi HSS Palakkad won the 5km senior boys and 3km junior girls respectively with meet records. Aneesh clocked 21:50.30 shattering nine-year-old record.

The other meet recorders were VS Sudheesh in senior boys (hammer throw), Aneesh Mohan in junior boys (Pole Vault) and Babitha C. The other major performances came in the jump events. Lizbeth Karoline Joseph did a superb comeback victory in triple jump after fading out in her favourite event long jump in the senior girls' competition. She jumped 12.67m in her fifth attempt to defeat Viny PV who came first in the long jump and recording her personal best.

"I was a bit disappointed by the result in long jump. I was able to reach only in fifth place as I had several foul jumps. But this time I was able to hit the gold," she said. In the high jump, SAI trainee Aromal T won the gold by clearing of 2.08m after seeing off stiff competition from another favourite Anandhu. Though Aromal tried to eclipse the meet record of 2.13 set by her senior Sreenith Mohan, he failed in the attempt. Bibin George of Mar Basil also won his second gold medal as he finished first in the senior boys race. Kalladi HSS Palakkad has been so far the dark horses of the meet as the third place winner have put up a real fight with reigning champions Mar Basil Kothamangalam.

Dope allegations raise an ugly head

Parli HSS coach P.G. Manoj has come out against the organisers for not employing National Anti-doping Agency to find out the drug cheaters in the 60th State School Athletic Meet. "The endurance of the athletes in long distance events are susceptible. When you look at the race walkers for example, they show no signs of tiredness.

“There should be an agency to check drug cheating. It is highly demoralising for the students, who work hard to see these kinds of activities," he said. Parli HSS Palakkad clinched the first and second position in the 5 km race walk on the penultimate day of the 60th State School Athletic Champhionship here on Monday.