ATHLETICS
Benson, Reena win Kochi Spice Coast Marathon
Local runners C.B. Benson and Reena Manohar won the men’s and women’s titles respectively in the Ageas Federal Life Insurance Kochi Spice Coast Marathon at the Marine Drive here on Sunday.
Benson, who had finished second in the two previous editions, comfortably tackled the men’s 42.2km in 3:00.42s on a cool, overcast morning while Reena won the women’s marathon in 4:50.06s.
“I am delighted to see so many running enthusiasts turn up so early in the morning. It’s even more heartening to see so many women and elderly in the mix,” said cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, the brand ambassador of Ageas Federal Life Insurance, during the awards function.
The marathon, organised by Soles of Kochi, attracted over 8,000 runners in its different formats. Several NGOs and corporates fielded teams and Kochi Police had 126 runners, including 50 women.
Meanwhile, K.M. Sajith won the half-marathon for the third successive time while A.K. Rana took the women’s title.
The results:
Marathon (42.2km):
Men: 1. C.B. Benson (3:00.42s), 2. Justin (3:06.56), 3. Sreenidhi Sreekumar (3:08.49).
Women: 1. Reena Manohar (4:50.06s), 2. Mary Joshy (4:53.59); 3. Nileena Babu (4:54.32).
Half marathon (21.1 km):
Men: 1. K.M. Sajith (1:21.23s), 2. Athul Raj (01:22.37), 3. V.R. Vishnu (1:23.05).
Women: 1. A.K. Rama (1:55.33s), 2. Jaseena Khani (1:58.03), 3. Bismy Augustine (1:59.00).
-Stan Rayan
HOCKEY
Tamanna scores seven as GMSSS beats Government Excellence HSS in Nehru girls hockey tournament
Tamanna struck seven goals in guiding Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-18C, Chandigarh, to a 21-0 victory over Government Excellence Higher Secondary School, Sivni, Madhya Pradesh, in a league match of the Charanjit Rai 30th Nehru girls hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium on Sunday.
The results (league):
Krida Prabodhini, Pune, 17 (Arpita Sarode 4, Vaishnavi Pandhare 4, Gayatri Puri 3, Prachi Panchore 2, Purva Dupare 2, Gunjan Baviskar, Pragati Bhandekar) bt Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Zinc Nagar, Odisha, 0.
GM Patel Kanya Vidyalaya, Jamnagar, Gujarat, 9 (Nandaniya Ben 3, armar Puri Ben 3, Vala Archana 2, Parmar Niyati Ben) bt Khalsa Girls HS, Kolkata, 0.
Government Model SSS, Sector-18C, Chandigarh, 21 (Tamanna 7, Sapna 3, Vedangi Vyas 3, Harvinder Kaur 3, Apram Rambhateri, Amrit Kaur, Happy, Nenshi) bt Government Excellentce HSS, Sivni, Madhya Pradesh, 0.
Government Inter College, BHEL, Haridwar, 20 (Kehkasha Ali 5, Meenakshi 4, Gungun Katariya 3, Mansi Katariya 3, Mukta 3, Beena, Kareena) bt SNBP Institute, Pune, 0.
-Kamesh Srinivasan
TENNIS
Ankita-Dalila pair loses in final of Kayseri 2024 tournament
Top seeds Ankita Raina and Dalila Jakupovic were beaten 6-3, 2-6, [10-6] in the doubles final by Isabella Aguirre and Abigail Rencheli in the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Kayseri, Turkey, on Sunday.
The results:
$25,000 ITF women, Kayseri, Turkey
Doubles (final): Isabella Aguirre & Abigail Rencheli (USA) bt Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) & Ankita Raina 6-3, 2-6, [10-6].
-Kamesh Srinivasan
