Chennai
In a thrilling final day of the fourth edition of South Asian Junior Athletics Championship here at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Friday, overall championship went to the home team but Sri Lanka sprinters battled for supremacy in the relays.
In a mouthwatering shorter relay (4x100m), Sri Lanka’s 100m men’s champion W Merone Julian anchored the team to victory with a meet record of 40.28 seconds. The previous record was 41.27 seconds set in 2007.
The Indian team settled for silver. However, it was reversed in the women’s 4x100m relay. The home team comfortably won gold with a meet record of 45.08 seconds. The previous record was 46.23 seconds.
Sri Lanka took home silver.
The Indian contingent continued to dominate middle distance races and throwing events on the final day, while Sri Lanka had an edge in the sprints.
India’s medal tally swelled to 48 medals, 21 of them gold on the final day. India won 22 silver and five bronze medals.
Sri Lanka finished second. The team collected 35 medals. Nine gold, nine silver and 17 bronze medals.
Bangladesh was distant third with three bronze medals.
All seven SAAF countries competed in the three-day competition in Chennai.
Results:
Women:
200m: Unnathi Aiyappa (India) 23.91 seconds (meet record, previous record 24.32 seconds by A Suseendran set in 2013), Nancy (India) 24.11 seconds, Neeru Pahtak (India) 24.91 seconds.
1500m: Vineeta Gurjar (India) 4:33.63 seconds, Laxita Vinod Sandilea (India) 4:37.61 seconds, T K G H Dulanji (Sri Lanka) 4:39.01 seconds.
Shot put: Tamanna (India) 14.43m, Pooja Kumari (India) 14.02m, H Isali Malkethmi (Sri Lanka) 10.68m.
Javelin: Deepika (India) 54.98m (meet record previous S Choudhary 48.08m), Poonam (India) 51.21m, W G Nisansala (Sri Lanka) 35.02m.
4x100m relay: India (Nancy, Abinaya Rajarajan, N Cornelio, V Sudheeksha) 45.08 (meet record, previous record 46.23 seconds), Sri Lanka (H Sithmini Ranasgal, P Ransini Perera, K Shanani Rashma, S Shanella Anne) 46.48 seconds, Maldives (Hawa Muznna Faiz, Ziva Moosa Shafeeu, Ahinna Nizaar, Mariyam RU) 48.04 seconds.
4X400m relay: India (Sanchin Sangle, Sandra Mol Sabu, Kanista Teena, Neeru Pahtak) 3:44.35 seconds, Sri Lanka (A Wijethunga, G Sashini Bhagya, D Pravindi, K Takshima) 3:49.99 seconds, Bangladesh (Nusrat Jahan Runa, Azmi K, Mim Akter, Sumaiya Akter) 3:57.37 seconds.
Men
200m: R Indusara Vindushan (Sri Lanka) 21.33 seconds (meet record, previous H eashan 21.44 seconds), Pratik Maharana (India) 21.41 seconds, W M Koushan Thamel (Sri Lanka) 21.44 seconds.
1500m: Priyanshu (India) 3:53.22 seconds, Rahul Sarnaliya (India) 3:53.64 seconds, T W M Prashan Buddika (Sri Lanka) 4:03.79 seconds.
Triple jump: D M H Kavinda (Sri Lanka) 15.09m, M D S Hansaka (Sri Lanka) 14.92m, Md Tamim Hossain (Bangladesh) 14.75m.
Javelin: Rohan Yadav (India) 69.22m, Dipanshu Sharma (India) 68.85m, U G B Dhilhara (Sri Lanka) 62.22m.
4x100m relay: Sri Lanka (W M Koushan, R Vidushan, W Dineth Induwara, W Merone Julian) 40.28 seconds (meet record, previous record 41.27 seconds set in 2007), India (Pratik Maharana, Mahendra Santa, Karthikeyam S, D Mruthyam) 40.76 seconds, Maldives (Hussain Zeek Suad, M ZU IZ Suad, I Nizaar, M Shamin) 41.98 seconds.
4 x400m relay: Sri Lanka (U Nethsara, G W Jathya Kirulu, J Shashintha Silva, S Rajakaruna) 3:09.27 seconds, India (Abiram P, Vinod Kumar Banoth, Ankul, Jay Kumar) 3:11.14 seconds, Bangladesh (B Sheikh, Md Hafizur Raman, M Al Sobur, Md Aslam Sikder) 3:21.50 seconds.
