Hargovind, Pooja steal concluding day's thunder

Pune, Sep 5 (UNI) Hargovind Rai (Mumbai Suburban) and Pooja Patil (Pune) stole the concluding day's thunder in the open age agroup for boys and girls under-20 sections respectively in the Rohan Builders-sponsored State Athletics meet at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports City Mahalunge-Balewadi near here today.

Rai posted a fine double, winning the 100 and 200 meters sprints, while Pooja claimed honours in the 100-meter dash for girls under-20 section.

Rai flashed past the finish in a time of 10.5 seonds in the 100 meters to claim the gold. Ashwin Shetty (Pune) and Vijay Landge (Thane) had to rest content with the silver and bronze respectively.

Rai, who was in fine fettle, won the 200 metres sprint, stopping the clock at 21.78 seconds while Pune's Ashwin Shetty and Rahul Rupnawar of Sangli finished second and third respectively.

The women's 100-meter dash saw some excitement but Pooja took the lead at the halfway mark to breeze past the finish in a time of 12.7 seconds. Amruta Bhor (Mumbai Suburban) and Aswini Jhol (Kolhapur) bagged the silver and the bronze respetively.

Pune lad Wasim Khan won the 100 meters dash for boys under-18 in a time of 11.1 seconds overcoming the challenge of Rameshwar Dhapase (Aurangabad) and teamate Ravindra Tribhuvan.

Rucha Patil of Pune brought a better time than Pooja when winning the 100 meters dash for girls under-18 by clocking 12.3 seconds. Shriya Vidwans (Thane) and Sayali Dravid (Pune) were placed second and third.

A record number of 2500 athletes and 250 officials participated in the four-day meet which served to select the Maharashtra contingent for the Senior National Athletics Championship to be held in Chennai and the Junior West Zone meet to be held at Balewadi from September 17 to 19.

Hosts Pune district emerged overall superiors and bagged the Rohan Builders Trophy for the eighth year in succession. Pune men bagged the Pune International Marathon Trust (PIMT) Trophy and the Pune women claimed the Pune Festival Championship Trophy. Mumbai City men and Nagpur women were placed runner-up in the overall team championship.

Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi gave away the prizes and trophies along with Rohan Builder chairman Bharat Desserdla.

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