Kulbir, Rameswori bag golds

By Our Sports Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, DEC. 26. The 54th National senior cycling championships got off to a low key start as records remained under cover on the opening day of the five-day event at the LNCPE velodrome, Kariyavattom, on Tuesday.

The failure of the cyclists to go under the existing marks had more to do with the sultry weather conditions and the strong breeze that did not help their cause either. Consequently, National record-holders Kulbir Singh and C.H.Rameswori Devi could return only modest timing while winning the 1000m time trial races in the men's and women's sections respectively.

Kulbir Singh clocked 1:13.30 to win the 1000m time trial gold but way behind his National mark of 1:19.64 set last year. Kerala's Vishnu Chand, egged on by team-mates narrowly failed to beat Kulbir's time and came a creditable second in 1:13.35, while Palkhwinda Astad of Maharashtra took the third spot in 1:14.40.

Rameswori Devi's winning time of 1:25.06 was also unimpressive when compared with her career-best time of 1:20.81, clocked during the V National Games at her home-town, Imphal in early 1999. The Manipuri herself seemed surprised with her poor time before blaming the wind for her modest show.

However, there was plenty to cheer for the host Kerala as V.Rajani pedalled her way to glory in the girls' under-18 1000m time trial event. The first-year degree student of SN College, Chempazhanthy clocked her career best (1:26.61) and in the process pushed pre-race favourites I.Gautamani Devi and N.Choaba Devi (both from Manipur) to the second and third positions respectively.

While most of the cyclists had problems adjusting with the bumpy areas on the velodrome, Rajini's familiarity with it put her in good stead. Rajani also won a silver in 1000m time trial race in the women's section, which was a bonus. Gautamani was timed at 1:32.86 ahead of team-mate Choaba Devi (1:33.12).

Another spotlight stealer was Punjab's Parminder Singh Brar, who won the 1000m time trial race in the boys' under-18 cateory clocking 1:18.08 for the gold. Arminder Singh, made it 1- 2 for Punjab, by winning the silver ahead of Manipur's K.H.Premchand.

Due to lack of entries the women's 1000 mass start qualifying round was converted into final. Andaman and Nicobar's Gulshi with a sudden burst of speed in the final lap took the gold ahead of N.H.Mallai Gawad and A.B.Bala Raddi (both from Karnataka).

Punjab Police men impressed while coming first in the qualifying rounds of the 4000m team pursuit event. Kerala, Railways and Punjab are the other teams which have qualified for the final. In the 3000m women's team pursuit, Manipur was easily the best team on view winning the qualifying round in 4:25.68s. Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar and Punjab are the other teams to make the grade for Thursday's final.

Results withheld

In the meanwhile, the results of 500m time trial races in both the boys and girls' under-16 categories were withheld by the organisers following doubts over the actual age of some of the competitors. This after the medical team, assisting the organising committee, found seven cyclists to be over-aged. Two of them - Ravindra Pinkade and Bappa Saheb (both Maharashtra) - have been debarred from the competitions while the fate of the other five will be decided only on Wednesday.

Earlier, the Kerala Local Administration Minister, Mr. Paloly Mohammed Kutty, inaugurated the championship.

The results:

Men: 1000m time trial: 1. Kulbir Singh (Punjab Police) 1:13.30, 2. Vishnu Chand (Kerala) 1:13.35, 3. Palkhiwala Astad (Maharashtra), 1:14.40.

Boys (under-18): 1000m time trial: 1. Parminder Singh Brar (Punjab), 1:18.08, 2. Arminder Singh (Punjab), 1:18.48, 3. K.H.Prem Chand (Man), 1:19.33.

Women: 1000m time trial: 1. C.H.Rameswori Devi (Manipur), 1:25.06, 2. V.Rajani (Kerala), 1:26.53, 3. K.V.Maya (Kerala), 1:27.00; 1000m mass start: 1. Gulshi (Andaman & Nicobar), 2. N.M.Mallai Gawad (Karnataka), 3. A.B.Bala Raddi (Karnataka).

Girls (under-18): 1000m time trial: 1. V.Rajani (Kerala), 1:26.61, I.Gautamani Devi (Manipur), 1:32.86; N.Choaba Devi (Manipur), 1:33.12.

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