Date:16/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/16/stories/2006051608692000.htm

Sport - Athletics

Soma 13th, Susmita 23rd

NEW DELHI: Soma Biswas and Susmita Singha Roy ended up 13th and 23rd respectively among 26 finishers in the World combined events challenge heptathlon contest at Desenzano, Italy, on Sunday.

According to information received here, Soma compiled 5397 while Susmita had 5118. This was the first time that the two Bengal athletes had competed in a competition of this stature, though none among the top 25 in the world figured in the Desenzano meet.

Karolina Tyminska of Poland (6178), Hanna Melnychenko of Ukraine (5952) and Elisa Trevisan of Italy (5784) took the first three places.

Soma's marks were: 14.41s (100m hurdles), 1.58m (high jump), 12.29m (shot put), 25.42s (200m), 5.75m (long jump), 40.47m (javelin) and 2:22.94 (800m).

Susmita's corresponding results were: 14.66s, 1.70m, 10.17m, 25.22s, 5.94m, 32.95m and 2:38.14.

Soma and Susmita are scheduled to compete in the World combined events challenge meet at Arles, France, on June 3 and 4.