Goodbye Kerala, says Gayathry after record show

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Gayathry Sivakumar of Ernakulam bettered one-year-old own record in girls (under-18) high jump event on the final day of the 62nd Kerala State Junior Athletics Championship at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium on Sunday.
The 12th standard student of Sacred Heart HSS, Thevara cleared 1.72cm to rewrite her own name in the record books, improving old record by mere one centimetre.She tried 1.75m but her three attempts were in vain. Meera Shibu (1.62m) of Thrissur and Maneesha Biju (1.56m) of Kottayam went home with silver and bronze.
One month ago, Gayathry shifted to Inspire Institute of Sport, backed by steel giants JSW, in Bellary, Karnataka and has been trained by Antony Yaich of France who has coached two Olympic finalists, three World Championship finalists and 18 French national champions.
"I won't be representing Kerala anymore. This is my last meet for my home state. I won't be competing in the upcoming Kerala State School Championship too. My new coach is even contemplating to shift me to triple and long jump," Gayathry told TOI after her record show.
"After clearing 1.79m to bag my first gold medal at senior championship at Guntur in 2017, I was struggling with my rhythm. This (1.72m here) is my best show this season so I'm leaving it to the new coaching team. I'm happy with new place and the environment. Everything is new and I'm feeling fresh too. So I'll leave it to them and my future (in jumps) too," she signed off.
11 more meet records were shattered on the final day. Ernakulam with 448 points wrested the overall championship title from Palakkad who finished second with 407 points followed by hosts Thiruvananthapuram (369), Kottayam (351), Thrissur (291) and Kozhikode (289.5).
Among the records, the outstanding show came from Ancy Sojan of Thrissur in girls (U-18) 200m event. The petite girl shattered 23-year-old record clocking 25.19 seconds. The old record of 25.20s was set by Archana Gupta in 1995. Anjali PD of Kottayam (25.57s) and Angel Silvia M of Kozhikode (25.78s) finished second and third.
Other results (records only) GIRLS U-20 3000m: Anumol Thampi (Ekm, 10:11.13s NMR, OR 10:12.78s by Chitra PU in 2014), Rizana PA (Ktm, 10: 41.70s), Anju Murukan (Ktm, 10:44.14s); U-18 200m: Ancy Sojan (Tsr, 25.19s NMR, OR 25.20s by Archana Gupta in 1995), Anjali PD (Ktm, 25.57s), Angel Silvia M (Kkd, 25.78s); triple jump: Sandra Babu (Ekm, 12.74m NMR, OR 12.59m by Alkachikili AP in 2004), Akhila Gangadharan (Ktm, 11.89m), Meera Shibu (Tsr, 11.61m); hammer throw: Kessia Mariam Benny (Ekm, 48.67m NMR, OR 48.17m by Deepa Joshy in 2015), Athulya PA (Tsr, 47.38m), Aneesha Augustine (Ekm, 39.51m), medley relay: Kozhikode (Aparna Roy, Angel Silvia M, Treesa Mathew, Sooryamol T) 2: 16.94s NMR (OR Kollam 2: 19.20s in 2015), Thiruvananthapuram (2: 19.90s), Kottayam (2: 21.73s); BOYS U-20 200m: Akhil TV (Ekm, 21.71s NMR, OR 21.80s by Sumesh KR in 2003), Rakesh K (Tsr, 22.27s), Aansun Benedy (Tvm, 22.44s), 10000m race walking: Nitheesh C T (Pkd, 46: 50.74s NMR, OR 46:59.70s by Thomas Abraham in 2016), Abhijith VK (Ekm, 48:16.07s), Abhirag KR (Pkd, 49:16.65s), javelin throw: Anoop Valsan (Ekm 60.72m NMR, OR 60.53m by Bijeesh Kumar M in 1999), Anandhu Ayyappan (ekm, 56.04m), Lenin Joseph (Tsr, 54.85m); U-18 200m: Abhinav C (Tvm, 21.81s NMR, OR 22.08s by Akhil TV in 2017), Bijith K (Tvm, 22.08s EMR), Arun AC (KKd, 22.41s), medley relay: Thiruvananthapuram 1:58.97s (Kollam 2:0.02s in 2016), Kozhikode (2:0.13s), Kottayam (2:0.61s); U-16 800m: Ajay K Viswanath (Pkd, 1: 57.27s NMR , OR 1: 58.61s by Md Jabir Rahman K V in 2017), Anand Sajin (Tvm, 2:1.91s), John GR (Tvm, 2:3.55s).