Date:06/12/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/12/06/stories/2004120606821600.htm

Sport - Athletics

St. Joseph's PSA steals the show

By Our Sports Reporter

ERODE, DEC. 5. St. Joseph's Prime Sports Academy, Chennai, finished its outing on a bright note clinching the overall championship for boys and girls on the final day of the 18th Tamil Nadu State athletics open junior championship at the VOC Park Stadium here on Sunday.

The Chennai team, which made it a clean sweep winning the team championship in all three age groups, notched 233.5 points for the boys overall. Kovai Athletic Club with 72 points had to content for the second spot.

However, on the distaff side, there was a close contest between St. Joseph's (272 pts) and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, Erode unit (249). But, the former, with a better last day performances, managed to get the better of the latter.

The final day also witnessed the athletes setting nine new meet records. A. Anitcham of SBOA, Chennai, who had earlier shattered the under-16 shot put mark, came good once again breaking the discus record with a mighty effort of 36.86m. So did P. Lakshmi of St. Joseph's PSA. The gifted athlete, who set a new under-18 long jump mark yesterday, broke the meet record in the 100m hurdles with a timing of 15s.

M.C. Mohanal (SDAT, Erode, under-18, 400m, 58.8s), L. Surya (Pudukottai, under-16 2000m, 6:53s), M. Manjula (SDAT, Tiruchi, under-20 10-km walk, 56:35.5s), SDAT Erode (under-20 4x100m, 51.1s), K. Shanmugam (Namakkal, under-18 2000m, 6:2.8s), G. Muralikrishnan (SDAT, Virudhunagar, under-18 high jump, 1.93m) and E. Samuel (SDAT, Tiruchi, under-18 shot put, 16.05m) were the other record makers.

The results: Final:

Boys: Individual championship: U-16: B. Lokesh (Dharmapuri). U-18: K. Senthil Kumar (SDAT, Tiruchi). U-20: J.J. Razeen (Golden Eagle SC, Chennai), Satheeswaran (SDAT, Tiruchi) and Vijayakumar (Universal Sports Foundation, Chennai) 14 points each.

Team championship: St. Joseph's PSA, Chennai (under-16, 18, 20). Overall championship: St. Joseph's PSA (233.5 pts).

Girls: Individual: U-16: B. Radhika (Universal Sports Foundation, Chennai). U-18: P. Lakshmi (St. Joseph's PSA). U-20: Saradha Narayanan (Universal Sports Foundation). Team championship: U-16: (SDAT, Erode). U-18 & 20: St. Joseph's PSA, Chennai. Overall championship: St. Joseph's PSA, Chennai 272 pts.