Indian Athletics – News – Ankita, Puneet improved national marks – / By Ram. Murali Krishnan /

Pune, 23 September 2012 Records fall like nine-pins as the second day of National Inter-Zone junior athletics championships witnessed as much as nine records, two of them national marks, on Sunday at Balewadi. Although the hosts dominated with six gold medals, the medal distribution was universal as many states from across the country won medals on the penultimate day.

Local favourite Aneesh Abhay Joshi once again dominated on high hurdles and set a meet mark of 14.19 secs while taking the top honours in junior men’s 110m hurdles.  Aneesh, who earlier won the Junior Federation Cup at the same venue with a 14.05 secs clocking, however failed in his bid to improve the national record of 13.92s standing in the name of J. Surendhar of Tamil Nadu since 2010.   Same was the case with Karnataka’s Meghana Shetty in Youth Girls’ 100m hurdles.  Meghana, the winner of JFC in the middle of this year here, went on to better another meeting record in 14.18 secs.

The national records came from relatively young age-groups.  In girls u-16 division Ankita Sunil Gosavi from the host state Maharashtra stop the clock at 14.45 secs to eclipse Meghana’s two-year-old mark 14.57s in 100m hurdles.  Team-mate Shriya Vilas Kolge (15.29) and Karnataka’s Simona Mascarenhas (15.42) took the silver and bronze medals respectively.

Haryana’s young Puneet Chauhan shattered the national best in 600m run for boys’ under-14 section with a time of 1:24.54.  Three other athletes who finished behind him also bettered the previous record of 1:26.6 stood in the name of Manipur’s S. Ibungo Singh since 1994.

/ Ram. Murali Krishnan /

Indian Athletics – News