Ranchi: Odisha’s ace sprinter Animesh Kujur set the national men’s 100m record in the semifinal round of the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competitions in Ranchi on Friday, to win a ticket to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Seema also achieved CWG qualification mark in women’s discus throw.
Kujur, 22, bettered the national record to 10.15 seconds in the second semifinal round on day one of the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition here at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Stadium. The Commonwealth Games qualification time in men’s 100m was 10.16 seconds.
The spotlight was on men’s 100m sprinters on Friday. The national record was shattered twice within a short span of time. Gurindervir Singh, dominating the first semis, clocked 10.17 seconds to better the previous national record of 10.18 seconds set by Kujur last year.
Excitement reached its zenith as a few minutes later, Kujur, racing in the second semis, clocked 10.15 seconds to reclaim his national record. “It’s all about hard work,” says jubilant Animesh Kujur on winning tickets to Glasgow.
Both Kujur and Singh also improved the meet record of 10.25 set by Manikanta Hoblidhar in 2025.
Seema was the second athlete on day one to achieve the CWG qualification mark in the women’s discus throw. Her gold-winning throw of 57.29m was better than the CWG qualification mark of 56.85m.
Fierce competition was also witnessed at the jumping arena on the opening day. India’s two heavyweights in women’s long jump—Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan—battled it out to stay ahead of the other. Eventually, it was Ancy’s day out as she raced to victory with a distance of 6.75m, bettering the meet record of 6.64m set by Shaili Singh last year in Kochi. Ancy had a steady series of 6.47m, 6.56m, 6.69m, 6.75m, 6.68m, and 6.57m.
Earlier in the morning session, Deepak Bhatt of Uttarakhand won the men’s 10,000m race with a time of 29:42.93 seconds. Ravina Gayakwad of Maharashtra won the women’s 10,000m race with a time of 35:30.98 secs.
Results (Day one):
Men:
10,000m (CWG Q time 27:39.03): Deepak Bhatt (Uttarakhand) 29:42.93, Shailesh Kushwaha (Karnataka) 29:57. 56, Prashant Choudhary (Uttar Pradesh) 30:36.97.
3,000m steeplechase (CWG Q mark 8:30.26): Balkishan (Haryana) 8:56.01, Sharuk Khan (Uttar Pradesh) 8:56.63, Sunil Joliya (Gujarat) 8:58.38.
Hammer throw (CWG Q mark 73.09m): Ashish Jakhar (SSCB) 68.52m, Damneet Singh (Reliance) 67.62m, Ajay Kumar (Haryana) 64.93m.
Women:
10,000m (CWG Q time 31:14.14): Ravina Gayakwad (Maharashtra) 35:30.98 secs, Soniya (Uttarakhand) 36:16.22, Aarti Pawara (Maharashtra) 36:24.79 secs.
3,000m steeplechase (CWG Q mark 9:27.41): Ankita (Uttarakhand) 9:48.16, Prachi Devkar (IOCL) 10:16.29, Anju (Haryana) 10:28.23.
Long jump (CWG Q mark 6.84m): Ancy Sojan (Navy) 6.75m (MR), Shaili Singh (Anju Bobby George Academy) 6.58m, Bhavani Yadav (NCOE Bengaluru) 6.39m. Discus throw (CWG Q mark 56.85m): Seema (JSW) 57.29m, Nidhi Rani (Haryana) 55.05m, Krishna Jayashankar (Reliance) 55m.
(IANS)
