Ranchi- The opening day of the National Open Athletics Championships in Morabadi, Ranchi, was marked by rain, technical challenges, and standout performances, including a victory in the triple jump and a surprising result in the pole vault.
Women’s Triple Jump Victory
Bhairabi Roy claimed the women’s triple jump title with an effort of 13.10m on her fifth attempt, narrowly defeating Poorva Sawant by five centimetres. The 30-year-old athlete, who moved her training to Mumbai to recover from a hamstring injury, faced a venue-related mix-up that complicated her arrival and preparation. Her winning jump continues her strong form following a personal best of 13.39m three weeks earlier at the Inter-Railway meet.
Challenging Men’s Pole Vault
National record holder Dev Meena finished with a disappointing bronze medal in a pole vault final hindered by poor lighting and a mid-competition rain delay. The difficult conditions led to multiple failed attempts for the competitors. Gold was taken by M. Gowtham, followed by Rambeer for silver. Meena shared the bronze with former National record holder Siva S, as all four top finishers cleared 5.10m with the final standings determined by countback.
Distance and Sprint Highlights
World University Games silver medallist Seema secured the gold in the women’s 5000m race with a time of 16:01.27. She held off 18-year-old Sanjana Singh in the final lap, though Singh still posted a satisfying personal best time of 16:03.23. In the men’s 100m event, Manikanta Hoblidhar emerged as the fastest man of the day in the semifinals, clocking 10.23s, a time that equalled his 2023 meet record.
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