Jiwan Mukti Bilung, Nagesh Sunam and Sabita Toppo secured first position in two events each on the opening day of the two-day State Junior Athletics Selection Trials at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar today. Four others also finished among top-three finishers in multiple events. They were: Bapi Hansda, Prachi P Moharana, Ankita Mohapatra and Deepa Singh.

Following the cancellation of State Athletics Championship due to Covid Pandemic, selection trials are being conducted to constitute State squad for the 36th National Junior Athletics Championship, scheduled to be held in Guwahati from 6-10 February, 2021.

Organised jointly by Sports & Youth Services Department, Govt of Odisha and Odisha Athletics Association, the opening day proceedings featured competition in 10 events for under-14 and under-16 boys and girls.

Selection trials for under-18 and under-20 boys and girls are set to take place tomorrow. Around 150 athletes will be in action. The organizers did not allow mediapersons to cover the selection trials, citing Covid Protocol as the reason.

RESULTS:

BOYS-14: 60m Run: 1. Laxmidhar Pradhan (Keonjhar), 2. Dula Madhi (Malkangiri). 600m Run: 1. Jiwan Mukti Bilung (Bolangir). Long jump: 1. Jiwan Mukti Bilung (Bolangir), 2. Krishna Kanheya Majhi (Kalahandi). High jump: 1. Janaki Kanta Naik (Kalahandi), 2. Amarjeet Khatai (Puri), 3. Sridhar Ugrasandhi (Sundargarh). Shot put: 1. Ommkar P Nanda (Cuttack).

BOYS-16: 100m Run: 1. Nikhil Kumar Sahoo (Sundargarh), 2. Bapi Hansda (Cuttack). 300m Run: 1. Bapi Hansda (Cuttack). 800m Run: 1. Balabhadra Batra (Bhubaneswar), 2. Bipin Pangi (Koraput). 2000m Run: 1. Dayanidhi Munda (Sonepur), 2. Tarini Sethy (Dhenkanal). 80m Hurdles: 1. Rajendra Sidhu (Bhubaneswar), 2. Nitish Kulu (Bhubaneswar), 3. Sudarsan Majhi (Malkangiri). 5000m Race walking: 1. Santosh Kumar Behera (Kendrapara), 2. Omm Prakash Ray (Cuttack), 3. Aryanath Tiwari (Jharsuguda). Long jump: 1. Naresh Rohidas (Bolangir). Shot put: 1. Nagesh Sunam (Malkangiri), 2. Sakti Swarup Nanda (Rayagada). Discus: 1. Nagesh Sunam (Malkangiri), 2. Debashish Samad (Cuttack). Javelin: 1. Ratan Marandi (Kandhamal)

GIRLS-14: 60m Run: 1. Basanti Majhi (Sundargarh), 2. Sanju Hantal (Koraput), 3. Geetanjali Kisan (Sundargarh). 600m Run: 1. Samarika Sahoo (Jagatsinghpur), 2. Sreya Priyadarshini (Cuttack), 3. Daita Hantal (Koraput). Long jump: 1. Janhabi Bada (Sundargarh), 2. Pragya B Pradhan (Balasore), 3. Ahalya Lakra (Sundargarh). Shot put: 1. Ankita Mohapatra (Jagatsinghpur), 2. Prachi P Moharana (Sambalpur). Ball throw: 1. Prachi P Moharana (Sambalpur), 2. Ankita Mohapatra (Jagatsinghpur).

GIRLS-16: 100m Run: 1. Ranjita Pingua (Sundargarh). 300m Run: 1. Seema Dhan (KIIT). 800m Run: 1. Laxmipriya Kisan (Sundargarh), 2. Anjana Garada (Koraput). 2000m Run: 1. Swarnalata Sharma (Sundargarh), 2. Basanti Majhi (Bhubaneswar). 80m Hurdles: 1. Sabita Toppo (Bhubaneswar), 2. Suchismita Behera (Bhubaneswar). 3000m Race walking: 1. Tisha Barik (Deogarh), 2. Lazarani Behera (Bhubaneswar). Long jump: 1. Sabita Toppo (Bhubaneswar), 2. Jamuna Tudu (Bhubaneswar), 3. Preeti Priyanka Lakra (Sundargarh). High jump: 1. Alita Marandi (Mayurbhanj). Shot put: 1. Anshika Routray (Cuttack), 2. Sradhanjali Mishra (Bolangir), 3. Deepa Singh (Mayurbhanj). Discus: 1. Deepa Singh (Mayurbhanj). Javelin: 1. Samiya Murmu (Sundargarh), 2. Sita Hansdah (Mayurbhanj).
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PHOTO: A long-jumper in action at the State Junior Athletics Selection Trials in Bhubaneswar on 16 January, 2021.