65th Kerala State schools athletics championships | Palakkad completes a hattrick of triumphs; Bejoy guns down Lijo Mani’s record again

J. Bejoy has been gunning down former national star Lijo Mani’s records one after another. After bettering Mani’s Kerala under-18 800m record at the recent State junior meet in Malappuram, the 17-year-old did it again at the 65th State schools athletics championships here on Friday.

Bejoy broke Mani’s 11-year-old record in the senior boys 800m and in the process improved his personal best by nearly two seconds within the space of some 20 days.

J. Bejoy broke Lijo Mani’s 800m senior boys’ record. (Source: NAJEEB KK)

“I run around 8 to 9km every day. My favourite events are the 800 and 1500m and my goal is to get a medal at the Nationals,” said the youngster whose parents are daily wage workers at Chittur Village in Palakkad.

Bejoy had an easy day in the two-lapper, finishing more than four seconds ahead of the second-placed Muhammed Mashhood to collect his third gold here. He had won the 1500m and 3000m earlier. That also saw him share the individual championship in the senior boys category with Malappuram’s Muhammed Muhassin – who took the long jump, triple jump and high jump golds – and the meet’s top star P. Abiram of Palakkad who won the 200m for his third gold here.

Malappuram’s Mohammed Muhassin won the senior boys’ triple jump gold. (Source: NAJEEB KK)

Palakkad (266 points, 28 golds) won the overall championship to complete a hat-trick of triumphs and also topped the boys’ and girls’ team tables. Malappuram’s Ideal EHSS, Kadakassery (57 points) finished as the best school with Ernakulam’s Mar Basil HSS (Kothamangalam, 46 points) taking the second spot.

The results (winners only):

Boys: Seniors: 200m: P. Abiram (Pkd) 22.03s. 800m: J. Bejoy (Pkd) 1:51.13s MR, OR 1:51.77, Lijo Mani, 2012. Triple jump: Mohammed Muhassin (Mlp) 15.22m. Pole vault: Bibin Sabu (Ekm) 4.30m. Shot put: K.C. Servan (Ksd) 17.58m MR, OR 16.53, Alex Thankachan, 2018. 4x400m relay: Kozhikode (3:22.91).

Juniors: 200m: U. Ayushkrishna (Pkd) 22.89s. 800m: M. Amruth (Pkd) 1:57.06s. Triple jump: M. Dhanush Raj (Knr) 13.57m. Javelin throw: P.K. Vishnu (Wyd) 47.34m. 4X400m relay: Palakkad (3:30.25s).

Sub-juniors: 200m: Arshad Ali (Pkd) 24.77s.

Girls: Seniors: 200m: M. Jyothika (Pkd) 25.92s. 800m: Mayukha Vinod (Koz) 2:15.16s. High jump: Carolina Mathew (Koz) 1.63m. Hammer throw: Ashly Thresia (Alp) 44.80m. 4X400m: Palakkad (4:02.88s).

Kozhikode’s Carolina Mathew won the senior girls’ high jump. (Source: NAJEEB KK)

Juniors: 200m: Adithya Aji (Mlp) 26.01s. 800m: Nivedhya Kaladhar (Pkd) 2:20.23s. Hammer throw: Pallavi Santosh (Pkd) 45.52m. 4X400m relay: Kozhikode (4:06.04s).

Sub-juniors: 200m: T.V. Devasree (Knr) 27.86s. High jump: V.B. Abhirami (Knr) 1.44m.

Individual champions: Senior boys: P. Abiram (CFD VHSS, Mathur, Pkd), J. Bejoy (GHSS Chittur, Pkd) & Mohammed Muhassin (Ideal EHSS, Kadakassery, Mlp – all 15 points). Junior boys: M. Amruth (KHS Kumaraputhur, Pkd, 10 pts). Sub-junior boys: Arshad Ali (KHS Kumaraputhura, Pkd, 15 pts).

Senior girls: M. Jyothika (HS Parli, Pkd, 15 pts). Junior girls: Adhithya Aji (Navamukunda HSS, Thirunavaya, Mlp, 13 pts). Sub-junior girls: T.V. Devasree (GVHSS, Knr, 15 pts).

Overall champion district: Palakkad (266 pts).