Omega Devi pedals to glory

PATIALA, Jan 21: That Omega Devi is a cut above the rest was apparent today in the 51st Avon Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior National Cycling ...

PATIALA, Jan 21: That Omega Devi is a cut above the rest was apparent today in the 51st Avon Senior, Junior and Sub-Junior National Cycling championships here at the Punjabi University velodrome. On the penultimate day of the meet, the Railway international marked her strong presence by clinching her second gold medal 8212; apart from a silver 8212; in the championships. After guiding her team to a winning performance in the 1000m Team Trial a couple of days earlier, Omega Devi set the track ablaze with her sterling show in the 3000 metres Individual Pursuit for women, today. By the time she finished her race, clocking 4:36.41 secs, she had a lead of well over 200 metres over her opponent Rameshwari Devi Manipur- 4:45.60 secs who picked up the silver. Anita Andrews of Kerala was third with a timing of 4:54.05 secs.

Chandigarh cyclists bagged both, the gold and the silver in 1000m Individual Pursuit for boys u-14 as Harsimran Brar, who clocked 1:28.94 secs, prevailed over Indiver Sharda 1:30.00 secs. Pickingup the consolation bronze was Ramandeep Singh Haryana- 1:31.45 secs.

If Railway dominated the women8217;s section, Manipur girls simply ruled in their category. Fancied O Bina Kumari put another gold in Manipur8217;s overall kitty, with a facile win in the 1000 metres Individual Pursuit sub-junior girls u-16. She had a superb start and gave Sonali Haryana no chance at all. Bina clocked 3:14.73 secs to Sonali8217;s 3:16.63 secs. M Usha Rani clocked a relatively poor 3:25.95 secs, yet lack of participants in the category saw her picking up the bronze.

Meanwhile, the semi final rounds of various events were also held today. The most keenly waited race in tomorrow8217;s final will be the 1000 metres Sprint for men, pitting Kirpal Singh and A R Sajji Kumar, both Railway, against each other, while Varmeet Singh and Pradeep Singh, both Punjab Police will battle it out in the 4000 metres Individual Pursuit for men.

Results: Seniors: Women: 3000m Individual Pursuit: 1 Omega Devi 4:36.41 secs Rly, 2 Rameshwari Devi 4:45.60 secs Mnp, 3 Anita Andrews 4:45.05 secs Ker. 10 km Point Race: 1 K Mumbai Devi 24 pts Rly, 2 Shweta Choudhary 23 pts Rly, 3 Anita Andrews 18 pts Ker.

Sub-juniors: Girls u-16: 1 O Bina Kumari 3:14.73 secs Mnp, 2 Sonali 3:16.63 secs Har, 3 M Usha Rani 3:25.95 secs Mnp. Under-14: 1000m Individual Pursuit: 1 Y Ranjana Devi 1:40.26 secs Mnp, 2 Soumiya T V 1:44.85 secs Ker, 3 Deepali Nikkam 1:56.05 secs Mah.