KERALA STATE ATHLETICS | Quartermiler Abiram breaks 18-year-old meet record

Palakkad’s P. Abiram who broke the 18-year-old meet record in the senior boys’ 400m at the 65th Kerala State schools athletics championships in Kunnamkulam on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: K.K. NAJEEB

The last few weeks have been hectic ones for quartermiler P. Abiram. The 17-year-old from Mathur Village in Palakkad had run in the State senior and junior championships, winning a bunch of golds in both, apart from the district championships earlier. And a few days ago, he was in action at the National Open in Bengaluru in the 400m and the relays.

But despite the busy schedule, Abiram managed to better his personal best by nearly a second from last year’s 48.56s to 47.59s as he entered the men’s semifinal at the National Open.

With all these achievements to power him, Abiram broke the 18-year-old meet record of former international V.B. Bineesh while winning the under-19 boys’ 400m gold comfortably in the 65th Kerala State schools athletics championships at the Government VHSS Ground here on Tuesday.

“I’ve been running one meet after another, almost without a break. I came from Bengaluru (National Open) only day before yesterday. I could not get enough rest, my recovery has not been proper,” said Abiram, a member of the gold-winning Indian medley relay team at last year under-18 Asian Championships in Kuwait, after his victory.

However, he was thrilled that he would be running in the National Games in Goa later this month.

Abiram, from Mathur’s CFD VHSS who is coached by K. Surendran for the last four years, is entered to run the 100 and 200m also here.

Meanwhile, Palakkad’s M. Jyothika, who sparkled in the junior category last year, made a winning debut as a senior by taking the women’s 400m in a personal best 55.89s.

Two meet records fell on the opening day, with K.C. Servan breaking the other in the senior boys’ discus throw.

The results (winners only): Boys: Seniors (under-19): 400m: P. Abiram (Pkd) 48.06s MR, OR V.B. Bineesh, 48.23s, 2005. 3000m: J. Bejoy (Pkd) 8:55.80s. Long jump: Mohammed Muhassin (Mlp) 7.08m. Discus throw: K.C. Servan (Ksd) 57.51m MR, OR K.C. Sidharth, 53.34, 2018.

Juniors (under-17): 400m: Muhammed Swalih (Ktm) 50.53s. 3000m: Muhammed Ameen (Mlp) 9:13.32s. Shot put: Munavar Nifal (Pkd) 13.12m.

Sub-juniors (under-14): 400m: Arshad Ali (Pkd) 54.84. Discus throw: C. Shahabas (Mlp) 32.41m.

Girls:Seniors (under-19): 400m: M. Jyothika (Pkd) 55.89s. 3000m: C.R. Nithya (Ekm) 10:27.69s. Long jump: D. Sheeba (Tvm) 5.63m. Pole vault: Grace Alia Varghese (Ekm) 3.00m. Discus throw: Akhila Raju (Ksd) 41.71m. Discus throw: Akhila Raju (Ksd) 41.71m.

Juniors (under-17): 400m: Kasturba Prasad (Klm) 58.96s. 3000m: Gopika Gopi (Knr) 11:01.81s. High jump: C.P. Ashmika (Mlp) 1.56m.

Sub-juniors (under-14): 400m: P. Nithika (Pkd) 1:02.52s. Long jump: M. Sivaranjini (Pkd) 4.79m.