Ranjith Maheshwary sets meet record in triple jump

Chennai: Kerala`s triple jumper Ranjith Maheshwary, back after a 20-month hiatus due to ankle injury, won the gold and set a meet record in the 49th National Inter-State Athletics Championship here today. Besides Maheshwary, six other athletes made the grade to qualify for the Asian Championship, to be held in China from November 10-14. Maheshwary, defending Asian Champion, erased the mark of 16.67m held by Amarjeet Singh (Jhar; Jun 2008). Singh collected silver and Malkit Singh (Chd; 15.59m) the bronze. The Keralite booked Asian Championship berth, surpassing the qualifying mark of 16.64m. The highlight of the day was Tamil Nadu`s 22-year-old V S Surekha setting a new meet record in Pole Vault, clearing 3.95m to erase her November 2006 mark of 3.90m. Among other jumpers, Surekha cleared 3.70m in her first attempt, muffing her first two chances before clearing it. She succeed in her first try in 3.95m, which got her the gold and a berth for the Asian Championship. Her state-mate, S Saranya (3.30m) and R Jisha (Ker; 3.30m) finished second and third. Bureau Report