31-May-2009 96
An eight-member Orissa squad bagged a total of five medals in the 6th National Youth (Junior) Athletics Championship, which concluded at MGR Stadium in Madurai (Tamil Nadu) today. Medals included three golds, one silver and one bronze.
Sprinter Amiya Kumar Mallick and Ranjita Mahanta turned out to be the leading achievers with a joint collection of two golds and one siver.
Bhubaneswar teenager Mallick won the last gold medal with a new meet record in boys’ 200 metre event, clocked 21.93 seconds. He erase the previous meet record of 22.23 seconds held by Amreek Rana (UP) since 16th Novermber, 2004. Mallick narrowly missed the opportunity to equal Harjinder Singh’s National record of 21.80 seconds.
The other two gold medals were claimed by Bhubaneswar Sports Hostel trainees Ranjita Mahanta and Namita Kabat in girls’ 100 meter sprint (12.38 secs) and 800 metre run (2:16.85 secs) respectively.
Mahanta missed a golden double as she settled for the second position in girls’ 200 metre sprint with a timing of 25.31 seconds. Bargarh athlete Praveen Bhoi won the bronze medal in javelin throw with a distance of 59.87 metres.
Other members of the squad included Susmita Kullu, Chandan Murmu, Nibedita Sahu and Rajesh Parida.
