BHUBANESWAR 18-Aug-2009 392
West Bengal girl Debashree Mazumdar and Orissa boy Dharmedhar Mahanta emerged best athletes in the 21st East Zone Junior Athletics Championship, which concluded at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar today. Sprinter Debashree secured 998 points, while Orissa hurdler Dharmedhar garnered 1,032 points.
Cuttack SAI Hostel trainee Dharmedhar was given a special trophy for equaling the National record in under-20 boys 110 metre hurdles. Identical trophy was also presented to West Bengal’s Pinky Dey for rewriting the National record in under-18 girls shot put event.
West Bengal lifted the overall champions trophy, bagging a total of 107 medals, which included 40 gold, 42 silver and 25 bronze. Host Orissa finished runners-up with a total collection of 72 medals (28 gold, 21 silver, 23 bronze). Jharkhand occupied the third position in the medals table with 18 gold, 18 silver and 20 bronze.
West Bengal athletes also claimed trophies in six out of eight age groups (girls 14, 16, 18, 20 and boys 14, 16), while the remaining two (boys 18 and 20) went to Orissa. On the last day, Orissa added seven gold, five silver and three bronze medals to their tally.
