Manikanta Hoblidhar wins 100m in 10.25s at National Open Athletics Championships
Manikanta Hoblidhar won the men's 100 metres in 10.25 seconds at the 65th National Open Athletics Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday. The 24-year-old's run marked his return to competition after a lengthy injury layoff.
Last year Hoblidhar became the first Indian man to go under 10.20 seconds in the 100m, setting a new national record, and had been aiming to add international success to his domestic achievements. In March he suffered a Grade-2 hamstring tear during the National relay championships, which led to the discovery of a blood clot in his tendons and disrupted his season. He missed the Commonwealth and Asian Games and the World Relays and was left considerably behind on the track before this weekend.
"I had targeted better timing here but an upset stomach since last night didn’t help. I also slowed towards the end because after such a long break, you are a little cautious. My biggest regret, however, is that my injury also affected the relay team and India’s chances of a medal. But now the body is fine and my aim is to clock 10.00 in the coming season," Hoblidhar said, adding that there was still work to be done before gaining optimum fitness ahead of the next season.
In the men's 100m podium, Lalu Prasad Bhoi (RSPB) finished second in 10.43s and Laukik Melge (SSCB) was third in 10.45s. Other men's track winners on Day Two included Akash Raj (TN) in the 400m in 46.24s, Vikrant Panchal (RSPB) second in 46.26s and Mijo Chacko Kurian (SSCB) third in 46.45s; the 1500m was won by Arjun Waskale (RSPB) in 3:43.04 with Shivam Sharma (RSPB) second in 3:43.12 and Rahul Baloda (SSCB) third in 3:43.14.
Men's event winners also featured Muhd. Lazan VK (SSCB) taking the 110m hurdles in 13.70s, Suraj Panwar (Utk) topping the 21km race walk in 1:30.48, Yamandeep Sharma (RSPB) winning discus with 40.93m, Sebastian V.S. (SSCB) claiming the triple jump at 16.54m, and Stalin Joes S (SSCB) leading the decathlon with 689 points.
In the women's competitions Manpreet Kaur (RSPB), the Aichi-Nagoya bronze medallist and national record holder, was the only shot-putter to surpass 17 metres, winning with a best of 17.07m. Anjli, aged 21 and competing at her first national-level event, posted a personal best of 53.37s to win the 400m ahead of Priya Mohan (Kar) in 53.55s and Priya Thakur (HP) in 53.56s.
Moumita Mandal, returning from an injury layoff, topped her heat and won the 100m hurdles in 13.48s, with Anjali C (AIPSCB) second in 13.50s and Nandhini K (TN) third in 13.53s. In the morning session Servin Sebastian, who had been leading the racewalk half-marathon, was pushed to fourth after being adjudged of a technical violation and penalised two minutes for loss of contact.
The 4x100m mixed relay was won by RSPB in 42.82s, with Delhi second in 43.75s and Haryana third in 43.97s. The listed Day Two results of the 65th National Open Athletics Championships provide a full set of timings and placings across track and field events at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Hoblidhar said his aim is to clock 10.00 in the coming season; his 10.25 victory was recorded on Day Two of the 65th National Open Athletics Championships at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
