Indian Athletics – Indian Grand Prix – Renjith, Om Prakash commenced season opener with moderate show in first leg / Ram. Murali Krishnan /

Patiala – 31 March 2013 – In what appeared to be a slow beginning, Olympians Renjith Maheswary and Om Prakash Singh Karhana comfortably won their favourite triple jump and shot put events respectively in the first leg of Indian Grand Prix which held at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports grounds here this evening.

 Although no one expected to provide the sparkle in the season opener as they preserve their energy for next month’s Federation Cup in the same venue.  “The athletes will peak during the Asian championships in July” revealed a senior coach.

Railway’s Renjith, who attained his Olympic qualification in Patiala with a leap of 16.85m here last year, was the only athlete who surpassed the 16m mark today with 16.67m as best of the series.  Young Arpinder Singh of Oil and Natural Gas Commission could manage only 15.92m for second place just ahead of U.P. lad Saurabh who logged 15.76 for the bronze.    It is time for Renjith to make amends for his “no mark” in London Olympics.   Hope he will display improved show in the weeks to come and at least a ‘face-saver’ performance during the Asian championships to erase the bitter memory.

 Om Praksh, the basketballer-turned-thrower, who stunned everyone with his massive 20.69m throw recorded in his training base at Szombathely (Hungary) last summer could manage only 18.12m this evening.   Like Renjith, the ONGC employee was the only athlete on the throwing arena to cross the 18m mark and that too on only one occasion today.  India had a long tradition around the shot put circle at the continental level.  We need to wait and see how Karhana progressing towards the July meet.

Railway sprinter Merlin K. Joseph shocked her teammate and pre-race favourite Asha Roy as she pips the latter in women’s 100m.  Merlin timed a personal best 11.95 secs as against Roy’s 11.98s for today’s win.  A bronze medallist in last year’s Inter-State championships at Hyderabad, Merlin is expected to make headway in the coming weeks.

 The men’s 5000m results were declared without any performance as the race was ran one lap short!

 / Ram. Murali Krishnan /