Benjamin, Manoop and Akhila rewrite records

Benjamin from Pushpakandam wins gold in 3000m steeple chase, breaking meet record at Mahatma Gandhi University athletics championship.

Idukki’s Benjamin Babu, a distance runner who developed a taste for the 3000m steeple chase three years ago, broke the event’s meet record in the 42nd Mahatma Gandhi University athletics championship at the Municipal Stadium here on Tuesday.

Benjamin, from the hilly Pushpakandam near the Tamil Nadu border and representing Changanassery’s St. Berchmans College, bettered his personal best while taking the gold, his second here after his 5000m victory on Monday.

“I was sure I’d break the record,” said Benjamin who was virtually all on his own after the opening lap and won by a big margin.

Meanwhile Mar Athanasius V.M. Abhirami, who had been close to 6m three years ago, took the women’s long jump title with 5.77m. Janice Treesa Reji, the State junior champion with 5.85m in October but recovering from a foot injury now, could only finish fourth with 5.46m.

St. Dominic’s M. Manoop, who had won the quartermile on Monday, rewrote the 400m hurdles record for his second gold while Alphonsa’s Akhila Raju, who trains at Kasargod’s KC Throws Academy, broke the 16-year-old meet women’s discus throw record by more than six metres!

And Maharaja’s V.S. Bhavika, the championship’s fastest woman, finished with a double taking the 200m title.

St. Berchmans College won the men’s team title after some 20 years, beating traditional powerhouse Mar Athanasius, while Alphonsa regained the women’s title.