Pooja, Siddharth dazzle on Day 1

Fourth edition of South Asian Junior Athletics Championship gets underway on Wednesday evening in Chennai

India's high-jumper Pooja claimed gold with a meet record on Wednesday (Photo | P Jawahar)

CHENNAI: The quiet Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium came to life on Wednesday as the fourth edition of South Asian Junior Athletics Championship got underway on Wednesday evening. India's Siddharth Choudhary gave India's first medal when he hurled the iron ball to a distance of 19.19m to set a new meet record. Previous record was held by Bhalothia of Sri Lanka who threw a distance of 18.53m. Compatriot Anurag Singh Kaler won silver medals with a distance of 18.91m. The bronze went AW Jayavi Ranhidha of Sri Lanka 15.62m.

Further records tumbled on the opening day as  Pooja (high jump) claimed gold medal and lived up to expectations.

Pooja comfortably won gold at 1.80m, which was better than the previous meet record of 1.75m. She made efforts to improve her national U20 high jump record of 1.83m set recently in Peru at the 2024 World Athletics U20 meet, but failed to cross the bar at 1.84m.

Dr Lalit Bhanot, president of SAAF, said the fourth edition of South Asian Junior Athletics Championship being held under the aegis of South Asian Athletics Federation (SAAF) will give more opportunity to athletes at the regional level. "Regional competitions have its advantage as competitors will have to travel less and at the same time get good competition close to home,"  Bhanot.

"All seven SAAF countries are competing here in Chennai. More regional events will be conducted in future. Next month senior SAAF athletics meet will be held in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The 2024 SAAF cross country will be held in Pakistan. There is a plan to organise a senior SAAF competition every two years," added Bhanot

Results:

Men: 100m: 1. Wijesinghe Merone (Sri Lanka) 10.41 seconds (meet record, previous 10.61 seconds), 2. Weeraratna Dineth (Sri Lanka) 10.49 seconds, 3. Mruthyam Rajaram (India) 10.56s.

800m: 1. HD Shavindu Awishka (Sri Lanka) 1:49.83 seconds (meet record, previous record 1:52.99), 2. Vinod Kumar (India) 1:50.07s, 3. Bopanna Klappa (India) 1:50.45s.

Shot put: 1. Siddharth Choudhary (India) 19.19m (meet record, previous record 18.53m), 2. Anurag Singh Kaler (India) 18.91m, 3. AW Jayavi Ranhidha (Sri Lanka) 15.62m.

Women:
100m: 1. Abinaya Rajarajan (India) 11.77s (meet record, previous record 11.92 seconds), 2. V Sudheeksha (India) 11.92 s, 3. S Wijetungage (Sri Lanka) 12.04s.

800m: 1. MGT Abhisheka Premasiri (Sri Lanka) 2:10.17 s, 2. Laxmi Priya Kisan (India)  2:10.87 s, 3. UM Sansala Himashani S (Sri Lanka) 2:12.13 s.
High jump: 1. Pooja (India) 1.80m (meet record, previous meet record 1.75m), 2. DK Timeshi (Sri Lanka) 1.65m, 3. VP Nethra Samadi (Sri Lanka) 1.65m.