Railways retain overall title

Reigning champions Railways retained the overall team title with a total of 60 medals in the 48th National Open Athletic Championship which concluded in Kochi today Railways men and women team asserted their supremacy to return with 27 golds, 19 silver and 14 bronze while the second placed Services team had six golds, four silver and eight bronze. Hosts Kerala, who finished third, grabbed three golds, three silver and five bronze medals. Railways also won both men and women team championship. Railway men collected 15 gold, eight silver and seven bronze while their women bagged 12 golds, 11 silver and seven bronze. Hurdler Joseph G Abraham and middle distance runner Sinimole Paulose of ONGC were adjudged as the best athlete of the meet in the men``s and women``s section. Andhra Pradesh H M Jyothi (100, 200 m), Sajeesh Joseph (Rlys-800, 1500), Sinimole Paulose (ONGC-800, 1500 m), Mayookha John (Ker-long jump, triple jump) and Preej Sreedharan (10000, and 5000 m) Bagged a golden double in the championship.