Dasara sports meet begins with a new relay record

MYSURU: The 2017 Dasara Sports Meet at Chamundi Vihar Stadium got off to a memorable start on Friday with the Bengaluru Urban men’s 4x400m relay team shattering the previous record at the event to write themselves into history.
The team from the state capital, comprising TH Devaiah, MG Siddarth, MG Ashwin and Gowri Shankar, completed the race in three minutes and 15.8 seconds to take the gold medal.In the course of their impressive display, they left behind the previous Dasara record, which was also set by a Bengaluru Urban team in 2014 (three minutes and 16.4 seconds).
Meanwhile, there was delight for the Mysureans as the local lad Manish sprinted his way to win the gold, clocking 10.70 seconds, while Bengalurean TH Devaiah bagged the top honour in the 800m race, finishing it in one minute, and 59.50 seconds. The group of local fans at the Chamundi Vihar Stadium had more to cheer for as TR Anush took home the gold medal in the long jump event, with a 7.29m leap, thereby ensuring the honours were shared equally between Mysuru and Bengaluru Urban at the end of day one.
Mysuru women win big
Meanwhile, the Mysuru women’s 4x400m relay team took the gold, in what turned out to be an extremely rewarding day for the local athletes. The quartet of RA Chaithra, HR Navami, M Likitha and Afsana Begum clocked three minutes and 48.80 seconds to emerge the winner. Meghana Devanga, with an impressive 13.52m throw, took the gold in shot put, and A Priya carried on the good show for Mysuru athletes by winning the top prize in long jump with a 5.45m leap.
In the 100m dash, Pragna Prakash of Bengaluru Urban ran her way to gold with a 11.80 second sprint, while EB Arpitha won the first prize in the 800m race, completing it in two minutes and 22.90 seconds.
New Dasara record
Bengaluru Urban men’s team set a new record for 4x400m relay: Three minutes and 15.88 seconds, leaving behind the previous record of three minutes and 16.04
B’luru Urban swimmers steal the show
It was a day to remember for swimmers from Bengaluru Urban. While in the women’s section, Preksha HM won the gold in both 400m and 200m freestyle events, she was also part of the relay team that took top honours in the 4x100m freestyle relay. The day only got better for Bengaluru Urban swimmers from thereon with Harshitha Jayaramu (200m breaststroke), Myari Lingaraju (100m butterfly) and Bhoomika R Kesarkar (100m backstroke) taking the gold.
Their male counterparts from Bengaluru Urban almost appeared to be vying with the women swimmers for a large medal haul as M Sharath took the gold in 100m backstroke, while Rayan Mohammed Meccai and KS Pruthvi bagged the first prize in 400m freestyle and 200m breaststroke respectively. However, there was some consolation for Mysuru swimmers, as PM Suhas and Hemanth Jenukal VB won the gold in the 100m and 200m butterfly events.