Khelo India 2019: TN jumpers Aravinth and Sherin win gold; Rebi Pal stuns Poonam Sonune at KIYG

Pune, Jan. 12: Tamil Nadu long jumper Sherin Abdul Gafoor’s happiness knew no bounds while breaching the six-metre mark in a major competition as she struck gold at the Khelo India Youth Games 2019 in the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here today. She got to 6.01m in a Tamil Nadu State University competition but that did not catch discerning eyes. She was hovering around the six-metre and it finally happened this evening.

Born in Kanchipuram, Sherin jumped 5.99m in the National Junior Championships in Ranchi in November last year. The 18-year-old Anna University student followed that up with the best effort of 5.96m in the All India Inter-University Athletics Championships in Moodbidri. Her quest for personal best met with success on a warm afternoon.

The 18-year-old Aravinth Ezhilarasan doubled Tamil Nadu’s delight by winning the men’s under-21 triple jump gold with a 15.45m effort that compared favourably with his best of 15.46m, attained in the qualifications in the Inter-University meet in November.

Uttar Pradesh won three gold in track and field competitions today, through Rebi Pal (girls under-21 3000m), Vipin Kumar (boys under-17 hammer throw), and Anamika Das (girls under-21 shot put).

Rebi Pal’s victory was credible as it came against the formidable Maharashtra runner Poonam Sonune, a South Asian under-20 champion over 1500m and fourth in the 3000m at the Asian Junior Championships last year.

Maharashtra’s pole vaulter Deepak Yadav was not challenged by the competition but improved his personal best from 4.79m, achieved when he won the National junior championship in Ranchi in November, to 4.80m today. He was left as the last man standing after 4.50m after which Haryana’s Gourav had to settle for silver.

The results (finals)

Boys under-21

Triple jump: 1. Aravinth Ezhilarasan (Tamil Nadu) 15.45m; 2. Maniraj (Tamil Nadu) 15.36; 3. Akhil (Kerala) 15.33.

Discus throw: 1. Surjeet Gurra (Delhi) 53.50m; 2. Ikram Ali Khan (Madhya Pradesh) 51.10; 3. Amit (Chandigarh) 47.82.

Girls under-21

3000m: 1. Rebi Pal (Uttar Pradesh) 10:09.88; 2. Poonam Sonune (Maharashtra) 10:11.33; 3. Seema (Himachal Pradesh) 10:11.92.

Long jump: 1. Sherin Abdul Gafoor (Tamil Nadu) 6.15m; 2. Punitha Ramaswamy (Tamil Nadu) 5.93; 3. Manisha Merel (Odisha) 5.83.

Shot put: 1. Anamika Das (Uttar Pradesh) 14.10m; 2. Poorna Raorane (Maharashtra) 14.07; 3. Kachnar Chaudhary (Rajasthan) 13.80.

Boys under-17

3000m: 1. Ritesh Ohre (Madhya Pradesh) 8:56.12; 2. Ajay (Haryana) 8:56.88; 3. Atul Gamit (Gujarat) 8:56.94.

Pole vault: 1. Deepak Yadav (Maharashtra) 4.80m; 2. Gourav (Haryana) 4.50; 3. Akshay Choudhary (Telangana) 4.40.

Girls under-17

High jump: 1. Saliha KH (Kerala) 1.68m; 2. Gobika K (Tamil Nadu) 1.64; 3. Khushi (Haryana) 1.60.

Javelin throw: 1. Jyoti (Haryana) 44.22m; 2. Amisha Solanki (Gujarat) 40.57; 3. Pratiksha Patel (Uttar Pradesh) 39.63.

Hammer throw: 1. Vipin Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 66.94m; 2. Mohammed Shahban (Uttar Pradesh) 61.43; 3. 3. Naveen (Rajasthan) 56.45.