Asawale, Rao emerge supreme to claim 10 kms titles

Pune, Dec 3 (UNI) National champions, Kashinath Asawale of Maharahtra claimed the ''Suzlon Energy Ltd Trophy'' and Preeti Rao of Jharkhand won the ''Pune Mayors Trophy'', as they dominated the men's and women's 10 kms races respectively, held simultaneously along with the Vodafone 22nd International Marathon, held here.

Asawale and Rao, after opting out of the men's and women's half marathon, concentrated on the 10 kms race and undoubtedly came out with flying colours yesterday. Asawale produced a time of 31 minutes 51.70 seconds to win the gold getting the better of Sita Ram and Yunus of Army Sports Institute (ASI) Pune. Ram and Yunus had to be content with the silver and bronze medals.

Rao overcame a spirited challenge from Anuja Bijagare of Nagpur and Swati Dadhave of Pune before winning the gold in a time of 47.23 minutes. Anuja claimed the silver producing a time of 47.53 minutes.

But the under-17 Pune lass, Swati, who had won a gold in the Junior Asian Cross Country Championship held at Amman in Jordan recently, put up a gallant fight and bagged the bronze with a time of 47.58 minutes missing the silver narrowly.

Pune International Marathon Trust (PIMT) secretary general Pralhad Sawant today said that the prize distribution ceremony of all the age group's races will be held at the Balgandharva Rang Mandir Tomorrow at 1700 hrs.

Following are the results- Men- 10 km (Suzlon Energy Ltd Trophy) Kashinath Asawale (RLY) (31:51.70) First Sita Ram (ASI) (32:02.60) Second Yunus (ASI) (32:08.80) Third Dharamveer (ASI) (32:38.40) Fourth Dinesh (BEG) (32:57.90) Fifth Devdand Singh (ASI) (33:01.20) Sixth Women- 10 km (PMC Trophy) Preeti Rao (Jharkhand) (47:23) First Anjuna Bejagare (Nagpur) (47:53) Second Swati Gadwe (Pune) (47:58) Third Reshma Dalvi (Pune) (49:05) Fourth Smita Thigale (Buldhana) (49:06) Fifth Ashwini Sarak (Satara) (51:39) Sixth Boy under-19 10 km (NACO Trophy) Suresh Londe (Narayangaon) (34:39) First Avdhesh Kumar (ASI) (34:40.2) Second Chetan Sharma (BEG) (34:55.6) Third Ankush Dabla (BEG) (34:58.7) Fourth Saurabh Rai (BEG) (35:18.6) Fifth Imam Hassan (BEG) (35:30.5) Sixth Boy under-17 six km (PCACS Trophy) Ranjeet C K (ASI) (19:10) First Chandrakant Manwadkar (KRIDA PRO)(19:40) Second Tayapa Shendge (KRIDA PROB) (19:50) Third Dattatray Jodge (KRIDA PROB) (19:55) Fourth Vicky Gupta (Narayangaon) (20:05) Fifth Nitin Bhosale (Narayangaon) (20:32) Sixth Girls under-17 six km (Air India Trophy) Rohini Raut (Nagpur) (26:23) First Monica Raut (Nagpur) (26:45) Second Neha Naidu (26:51) Third Pooja Telange (Pune) (27:04) Fourth Auti Jaywant (27:12) Fifth Tejal Kharad (St Miras) (27:24) Sixth Winners Women (Half Marathon) Kavita Raut (Mah) First Preeja Shridharan (RLYS) Second Vaishali Chatare (Mah) Third UNI