Tumkur, April 24 (IANS) Abhay Singh and Nipam claimed the titles as they emerged as the fastest male and female athletes on Day One of the 24th National Junior (U20) Athletics Federation Competition at the Mahatma Gandhi Stadium in Tumkur, Karnataka, on Friday.

Abhay Singh, representing Reliance Foundation, raced to victory in the men’s 100m dash. His winning time of 10.41 seconds was better than the Asian junior qualification time of 10.46 seconds and the meet record of 10.47 seconds set by Gurindervir Singh in 2018.

Nipam of Uttar Pradesh was also impressive in the women’s 100m. She won gold with comfortable ease. Her winning time of 11.53 seconds was better than the previous junior national record of 11.54 secs set by Abhinaya Rajarajan last year in Kochi. On her way to gold, Nipam also improved the meet record of 11.63 secs in the name of Dutee Chand set in 2014.

The Uttar Pradesh sprinter had clocked 11.60 seconds in the semis and has also achieved the Asian junior qualification time in women’s 100m of 11.79 secs. She has a bright prospect of competing in the World Athletics U20 in Eugene, USA.

Punjab’s rising discus thrower, Amanat Kamboj, also achieved the Asian U20 qualification mark. She won gold with a distance of 52.27m to better the qualification mark of 50.13m.

Earlier in the morning session, Muskan of Haryana won the women’s 5,000m gold with a time of 16:42.88 secs, which was better than the Asian junior qualification time of 16:52.54 secs. Sonam Parmar, representing IOCL, won silver (16:47.89) in women’s 5,000m and was the second athlete to better the Asian qualification time in the longer track race.

Winner of the women’s pole vault, B Sowndharya of Tamil Nadu, also equalled the Asian junior qualification mark of 3.60m Kerala’s lanky Mohammed Ashfaq was the fastest runner in the men’s 400m qualification round. His time of 47.39 seconds in the heats was better than the Asian junior qualification time of 47.53 secs.

Results:

Men:

100m (Asian Jr Q Time 10.46 secs): Abhay Singh (Reliance) 10.41 seconds (meet record), Yuvraj Singh Chib (Jammu & Kashmir) 10.52 secs, Anshu Rajak (Uttar Pradesh) 10.52 secs.

5,000m (Asian Jr Q Time 14:09.63 seconds): Dinesh (Uttar Pradesh) 14:36.50 secs, Ravi Yadav (Chandigarh) 14:37.25 secs, Gurpreet Kamboj (Punjab) 14:37.29 secs.

Women:

100m (Asian Jr Q Time 11.79 secs): Nipam (Uttar Pradesh) 11.53 seconds National jr record), Bhavana G (Tamil Nadu) 11.87 secs, Kajal Hirabhai Vaja (Gujarat) 11.88 secs

5,000m (Asian Jr Q Time 16:52.54 secs): Muskan (Haryana) 16:42.88 secs, Sonam Parmar (IOCL) 16:47.89, Sakshi Bhandari (Maharashtra) 17:04. 93.

Discus throw (Asian Jr Q Mark 50.13m): Amanat Kamboj (Punjab) 52.27m, Riddhi (Haryana) 48.92m, Supriya Attri (NCOE Patiala) 48.07m.

Pole vault (Asian Jr Q Mark 3.60m): B Sowndharya (Tamil Nadu) 3.60m, Chuki Birda (Rajasthan) 3.40m, Shruti Rathaur (Madhya Pradesh) 3.40m.

–IANS

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