National Games: Rowers, jumpers deliver gold for Kerala on Sunday

Jumpers delivered a couple of medals for Kerala in the 36th National Games in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Sunday.

Sheena NV clinched gold in the women's triple jump with an effort of 13.37m.

Andhra Pradesh's Karthika G (12.85m) and Maharashtra's Poorva Sawant (12.76m) came second and third respectively in the event.

Kerala's second medal in athletics came in the men's high jump. Aromal T took silver clearing 2.19m. It was an attempt that broke a 7-year-old national games record of 2.16m held by Jithin Thomas.

However, Services' Sarvesh Anil Kushare smashed that mark with an impressive 2.27m for gold. Kushare's golden jump was just 2 cm short of Tejaswin Shankar's national record.

 

Women rowers shine
Kerala's female rowers bagged a gold and a silver medal in the Games on Sunday.

The gold came in women's coxless fours event where Meenakshi VS, Aswathi, Varsha KB and Rose Mariya Joshy came first.

Earlier on the day, Aleena Anto and Archa A secured a silver medal for the state in women's coxless pairs.

 

Kerala enter badminton final
HS Prannoy-led Kerala defeated hosts Gujarat 3-1 to enter the final of the badminton mixed team championship. They will play Telangana which edged out Maharashtra 3-2 in the other semifinals.

Prannoy was impressive in his 21-15, 21-14 win over Aryamann Tandon after Kerala's mixed doubles duo of M.R Arjun and Treesa Jolly had beaten Dhruvkumar Raval and Aesha Gandhi 21-13, 21-12 in the first match.

Gujarat's top player Tasnim Mir, who is carrying a niggle, was not fielded in either mixed doubles or the singles. However, Adita Rao registered a consolation 21-12, 21-18 win over Andrea Kurien.

Arjun then combined with Shankarprasad Udayakumar to defeat Purushottam Awate and Bhavi Jadhav 21-12, 21-15 in 25 minutes to wrap up the semifinal.
(With agency inputs)