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85th All India Railway Athletics Championship: Eastern Railway’s women hog the limelight
At the contests held at the Shiv Chhatrapati sport complex in Balewadi, the women’s team on Wednesday win two gold medals.
Pune: With few men athletes on the roll, Eastern Railway entered the inter-railway athletics championship only with their women’s team. At the contests held at the Shiv Chhatrapati sport complex in Balewadi, the women’s team on Wednesday win two gold medals.
First gold for Eastern Railway came from Tiasha Samadder who claimed top spot in 400 metres (1:00.20) hurdles, while the second yellow metal came within next 30 minutes with Bhairabi Roy (13.15m) clinching top spot in triple jump.
Samadder is 21 years of age, while Roy is 24.
“The girls are the new-generation side of Eastern Railway. There was a time when out team consists of Asian Games gold medallists. We had players like Soma Biswas who won gold in 2018 Asian Games in hepthalon,” said Hari Shankar Roy, coach of Eastern Railway.
Roy holds the national record of 2.25 metres in high jump for 12 years. It was in September 2004 when Roy set the record in Asian All-Stars Athletic Championship in Singapore. The record was broken by Tejaswin Shankar in November 2016 during the National Junior Athletics Championship.
“With no recruitment in the last few years, the men athlete strength is thin. However, our women team is going strong every year and we have good number of athletes getting selected in India Railways team. Three players who bagged medals this year will be selected for India Railway team.
On Tuesday, Himashree Roy had won silver with the timings of 11.63 in 100 metres.
“Currently our team boast of good bunch of sprinters and middle distance runners and we are eyeing more medals on final day (Thursday),” said coach Roy.
In 2018, Eastern Railway emerged runners-up in overall championship while winners were Southern Railway. “Since last 3-4 years we have not been on top position, but we are improving.” said Roy.
Follow in mother’s footsteps
Tiasha and Bhairabi had seen their mothers taking part in athletics for Eastern Railways when they were young, and it inspired them to take up athletics.
“I have seen my mother on the tracks and got attracted to athletics at a very young age. Earlier, I used to do 400 metres, but have shifted to 400 metre hurdles,” said Tiasha.
“I also take part in relay when the team requires, otherwise triple jump and long jump are my pet events,” said Bhairabi.
In 400 metre hurdles, Arpitha from South Central Railway (1:00.70) claimed silver while Sonal Chawla of Central Railway (1:01.13) settled for bronze respectively.
And in triple jump, MA Shiva Anbarasi of Southern Railway (13.15m) and Karthika of South Central Railway (12.88m) claimed silver and bronze medal respectively
Tiasha Samadder, 400m hurdles gold, said, “Railway events are getting tougher nowadays, earlier there was not much competition.”
Bhairabi Roy, triple jump gold, said, “My personal best in training is 13. 35 metres, while in tournaments it is 13.24 metres.”
Results:
Women: 400m hurdles: Tiasha Samadder (Eastern Railway) 1 minutes:00.20 seconds; 2. Arpitha (South Central Railway) 1:00.70; 3. Sonal Chawla (Central Railway 1:01.13)
Triple Jump: 1. Bhairabi Roy (Eastern Railway) 13.15m; 2. MA Shiva Anbarasi (Southern Railway) 13.15m; 3. Karthika (South Central Railway) 12.88m
Box Day 2
Other results
Men
10,000 metre: 1. Ranjeet Patel (North Eastern Railway) 30 minutes:36.28 seconds; 2. Harshad Mahatre (Central Railway) 30:37.91; 3. Vasudev Nishad (North Central Railway) 30:44.81
Pole Vault: KP Bimin (Southern Railway) 5.00metre; Dharamraj (South Central Railway) 4.70m; 3. Bineesh Jaccob (South Western Railway) 4.70m.
Discus Throw: 1. Mithra Varun (ICF) 51.30metre; 2. Karan Singh (Western Railway) 50.043m; 3. Naveen Kumar (Northern Railway) 46.50m
High Jump: 1. Ajay Kumar (Western Railway) 2.11m; 2. Jesse Sandesh (South Western Railway) 2.06m; 3. Siddarth Yadav (North Western Railway) 2.06m
400m Hurdles: Jagadeesh Chandra (South Western Railway) 0 minutes:51.44 seconds; 2. Jashanjot Singh (Northern Railway) 0:53.14; 3. Amit Kumar Singh (North Eastern Railway) 0:53.38
Women:
10,000 metre: 1. LSuriya (Southern Railway) 36 minutes: 02.42 seconds; 2. Kavita Yadav (North Central Railway) 36:40.35; 3. Swati Gadwe (Central Railway) 36:43.86
Hammer Throw: 1. Jyoti (DLW) 57.11metre; 2. Poonam Devi (North Western Railway) 56.52m; 3. Athiram (South Western Railway) 53.71m
4x100 metre relay: 1. Southern Railway 0 minutes:46.28 seconds; 2. South Central Railway 0:47.25; 3. South Western Railway 0:47.48
