Prajusha wins gold in triple jump, Kerala bags overall title

HYDERABAD, June 26:
M A Prajusha defended her title in triple jump on the concluding day as her state Kerala emerged overall winners in the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships here today.
Prajusha, who won a silver in long jump in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, won the triple jump event with an effort of 13.66m at the G M C Balayogi Staidum at Gachibowli here.
She barely missed the meet mark of 13.68m, which stands in her state-mate Mayookha Johny’s name since 2010.
Shraddha Ghule of Maharashtra, the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games champion, took the silver with a 13.18m jump while Amitha Baby of Kerala won the bronze in 12.72m.
Other athletes who defended their titles include Kheta Ram (Rajasthan) in 10000m men’s race, M M Anchu (Kerala) in 100m hurdles, Harwant Kaur (Punjab) in discus throw and Sushmita Singha Roy (Bengal) in heptathlon.
The championships, the last domestic qualification event for next month’s Olympics, lacked the fireworks with only high jumper Sahana Kumari of Karnataka making the London Game grade with here gold-winning effort of 1.92m.(PTI)