GANDINAGAR: Jeswin Aldrin of Tamil Nadu defeated the Commonwealth Games silver medalist Murali Sreeshankar of Kerala for gold in a high quality long jump competition in the National Games Saturday to qualify for the 2023 World Championships in Athletics.
Aldrin jumped 8.26m on his sixth and final attempt to win the gold medal and passed the World Championships qualifying mark by 8.25m. He also landed two other jumps over 8m – 8.07m and 8.21m.
Sreeshankar, who won a silver medal at CWG Birmingham in August and holds the national record of 8.36m, had a best jump of 7.93m, which he achieved on his first attempt. He landed another 7.55m jump before landing the remaining four attempts.
Another long jump top, Mohammed Anees Yahiya from Kerala finished third with a best jump of 7.92m.
Meanwhile, Amlan Borgohain of Assam and Jyothi Yarraji of Andhra Pradesh respectively became the fastest man and woman of the National Games after winning gold in the 100m events.
Jyothi, whose favorite event is the 100m hurdles in which she holds the national record, stunned Dutee Chand (Odisha) and Hima Das (Assam), to win gold in the women’s 100m with a time of 11 .51 seconds.
Archana Suseendran of Tamil Nadu (11.55s) and Diandra Valladares of Maharashtra (11.62s) won silver and bronze respectively.
National record holder Dutee was sixth with a time of 11.69 seconds while Hima was seventh in 11.74 seconds.
“I didn’t come here thinking of winning or losing. I just wanted to give good timing and that helped me get my fastest run,” Jyothi said.
“They (Dutee and Hima) always cheered me on and I thank them for their support. I’m just happy that I won and I don’t think about the lines that I beat them,” she added.
Borgohain clocked 10.38 seconds in the men’s 100m to take the top step of the podium. Tamil Nadu runners Elakiyadasan VK (10.44) and Siva Kumar B (10.48) finished second and third respectively.
“You know, it’s like a stage show, sometimes you play, sometimes you don’t,” Borgohain said.
Asked about the hot conditions during the race, he said: “I don’t think about it much. It’s the same for everyone, isn’t it?
“In the All-India Railway competition, I ran at 2:00 p.m. in similar weather conditions and clocked 10.25 seconds. So, I have experience in that kind of weather.”
Borgohain also took the opportunity to highlight the sacrifices his family had made to help him pursue a career in athletics.
“You see that,” he said, pointing to his arm on which he had tattooed “Maa.”
“I was in Orissa and I was thinking about my mum and I just went and got this registered,” he said, adding that he hadn’t told his mum before doing so.
Aldrin jumped 8.26m on his sixth and final attempt to win the gold medal and passed the World Championships qualifying mark by 8.25m. He also landed two other jumps over 8m – 8.07m and 8.21m.
Sreeshankar, who won a silver medal at CWG Birmingham in August and holds the national record of 8.36m, had a best jump of 7.93m, which he achieved on his first attempt. He landed another 7.55m jump before landing the remaining four attempts.
Another long jump top, Mohammed Anees Yahiya from Kerala finished third with a best jump of 7.92m.
Meanwhile, Amlan Borgohain of Assam and Jyothi Yarraji of Andhra Pradesh respectively became the fastest man and woman of the National Games after winning gold in the 100m events.
Jyothi, whose favorite event is the 100m hurdles in which she holds the national record, stunned Dutee Chand (Odisha) and Hima Das (Assam), to win gold in the women’s 100m with a time of 11 .51 seconds.
Archana Suseendran of Tamil Nadu (11.55s) and Diandra Valladares of Maharashtra (11.62s) won silver and bronze respectively.
National record holder Dutee was sixth with a time of 11.69 seconds while Hima was seventh in 11.74 seconds.
“I didn’t come here thinking of winning or losing. I just wanted to give good timing and that helped me get my fastest run,” Jyothi said.
“They (Dutee and Hima) always cheered me on and I thank them for their support. I’m just happy that I won and I don’t think about the lines that I beat them,” she added.
Borgohain clocked 10.38 seconds in the men’s 100m to take the top step of the podium. Tamil Nadu runners Elakiyadasan VK (10.44) and Siva Kumar B (10.48) finished second and third respectively.
“You know, it’s like a stage show, sometimes you play, sometimes you don’t,” Borgohain said.
Asked about the hot conditions during the race, he said: “I don’t think about it much. It’s the same for everyone, isn’t it?
“In the All-India Railway competition, I ran at 2:00 p.m. in similar weather conditions and clocked 10.25 seconds. So, I have experience in that kind of weather.”
Borgohain also took the opportunity to highlight the sacrifices his family had made to help him pursue a career in athletics.
“You see that,” he said, pointing to his arm on which he had tattooed “Maa.”
“I was in Orissa and I was thinking about my mum and I just went and got this registered,” he said, adding that he hadn’t told his mum before doing so.
