Rohit clinches gold with an impressive show

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Rohit won the gold with a personal best. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

Rohit Yadav spectacularly pushed his personal best to 87.68m to take the men’s javelin gold while 19-year-old sprinter Abinaya Rajarajan gave a dazzling performance to clock 11.34s and win the women’s 100m with a National under-20 record in the $75,000 World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday.

Vithya Ramraj sparkled to record her season’s best 51.96 to clinch the women’s 400m gold.

In the preparatory phase for next month’s Asian Games, long jumpers M. Sreeshankar (8.07m) and Ancy Sojan (6.71m) were among the nine Indians who won gold.

Rohit, who managed 81.56m to finish seventh in the Commonwealth Games, overcame a slip in the second throw to register 81.82m in his penultimate attempt. A more consistent Yashvir logged 82.94m to regain the lead. But, Rohit improved upon his previous best 87.05m, achieved at the inter-State meet here in June, in his final effort. His new mark is the fourth-best in the World this season, just behind Neeraj Chopra (88.05m).

“I gave it my all in the end. I hope to replicate it in the Asiad,” said Rohit.

Abinaya , who recovered from injuries she received at the Asian Indoor meet in February, ran in good rhythm to regain the National under-20 record, which she had held earlier with 11.54, from Nipam (11.53). “I was about to cry towards the end as I knew I was going to break the record,” said Abinaya, thanking her father Rajarajan and coach Sreenivasan Ramaiah.

The results: Men: 100m : 1. Tshepo Jason Tyantini (RSA) 10.11, 2. Ali Al Balushi (Oma) 10.16, 3. Dineth Induwara (Sri) 10.27, 6. Animesh Kujur 10.32, 9. Gurindervir Singh 10.39; 400m: 1. Justice Oratile (Bot) 45.35, 2. Leender Koekemoer (RSA) 45.40, 3. Kalinga Hewa Kumara (SRI) 45.61; 800m: 1. Molifi Mohlomi (RSA) 1:47.45, 2. Krishan Kumar 1:47.69, 3. Prakash Gadade 1:48.03; 5000m: 1. Harmanjot Singh 14:11.51, 2. Shivaji Parashuram 14:13.84, 3. T. Gopi 14:15.98; 110m hurdles: 1. Franco Le Roux (RSA) 13.47, 2. Antonio Alkana (RSA) 13.54, 3. Eduardo Rodrigues (Bra) 13.68; Long jump: 1. M. Sreeshankar 8.07m, 2. Divan Manuel (RSA) 8.03m, 3. David P. 7.78m; High jump: 1. Aadarsh Ram 2.22m, 2. Fatak Bait Jaboob (Oma) 2.19m, 3. Abdul Rahman Omar (Irq) 2.15m; Shot put: 1. Chukwuebuka Enekwe (Ngr) 20.78m, 2. Weir Zane (Ita) 20.47m, 3. Karanveer Singh 20.06m, 4. Tajinderpal Singh Toor 20.03; Javelin: 1. Rohit Yadav 87.68m, 2. Yashvir Singh 82.94m, 3. Sumedha Ranasinghe (Sri) 80.29m.

Women: 100m: 1. Abinaya Rajarajan 11.34, 2. Harita Bhadra 11.46, 3. Sneha Sathyanarayan 11.56; 400m: 1. Vithya Ramraj 51.96, 2. Prachi 52.57, 3. M.R. Poovamma 52.78; 1500m: 1. Pooja 4:17.24, 2. Lili Das 4:18.32, 3. Shanika Kahawalage (Sri) 4:27.22; 5000m : 1. Diana Wanza (Ken) 15:16.11, Bharti 15:46.45, 3. Santoshi Shrestha (Nep) 17:31.75; 100m hurdles: 1. Charisma Taylor (Bah) 12.96, 2. Yumi Tanaka (Jap) 13.04, 3. Jyothi Yarraji 13.24; Long jump: 1. Ancy Sojan 6.71m, 2. Shaili Singh 6.56m, 3. Mubassina Mohammed 6.31m; High jump: 1. Supriya 1.75m, 2.