Kunnamkulam (Thrissur): P Abiram of CFD Vocational Higher Secondary School, Mathur, Palakkad, and T V Devasree of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Kannur, won the gold medals instituted by Malayala Manorama for the best athletes of the 65th State School Athletics Championship, which concluded here on Friday.
Minister for SC/ST Welfare and Temple Affairs K Radhakrishnan gave away the medals during the closing ceremony.
Abiram, a Plus Two student, had won three gold medals – in 400m, 200m and 100m events – in the senior boys’ category. He also broke the 18-year-old meet record of former international V B Bineesh as he clocked 48.06s to finish first in the under-19 boys’ 400m.
Devasree, a Class 9 student, clinched the yellow metal in girls’ 80m hurdles, 200m and 100m sprint events to emerge individual champion in the sub-junior category. She was also part of the Kannur district team which won the sub-junior girls' 4x100m relay.
The selection panel, comprising Olympians P Ramachandran and Lijo David Thottan, noted that apart from the number of medals won by Abiram and Devasree, their impressive show in those events, timings, and their potential to reach the top level were also taken into account.
