Anju leaps to new national mark

The lanky customs officer — Anju’s — effort in the pit was all more the praiseworthy as she was hospitalised in Bangalore just three days back with a bout of viral fever. Her previous record came last year in Thiruvananthapuram.

Anju, who pulled out of the triple jump yesterday, was the focus of the gathering at the Nehru Stadium as she took off on her first attempt and leaped to quite a distance, but up went the red flag indicating a foul jump.

She then crossed 6.50m in the second jump before equalling the record in the third.

“I am hopeful of winning the gold medal in the Asiad if I continue in the same form,” she said.

In other events KM Beenamol rehearsed her Asian Games appearance winning the women’s 800m gold to go with her 400m title and in the men’s half mile KM Binu yet again won overcoming a bit of heckling while trying to overtake the bunch in the first lap.

JJ Sobha of Railways took the silver behind Anju recording a jump of 6.34m and Jetty C Joseph of LIC got the bronze with a 6.17m jump.

In the women’s 800m, the battle was again between Beenamol and Madhuri Singh of AISEB. The Kerala girl changed gears from the bell and moved up to second place behind Madhuri with 300 metres to go.

She then took the lead with some 150 metres to go and never looked back winning in 2:02.18 seconds. Madhuri finished second in 2:02.80s and C Latha of Tamil Nadu the silver in 2:03.61s.