Double-gold : Sullia Excels in State Athletic Championships

Daijiworld Media Network – Sullia (SP)

Sullia, Aug 9: Two rural talents from this taluk have hogged the limelight, at a time when the region appears to be heading for a political renaissance too, with the swearing-in of D V Sadananda Gowda, who is from the taluk, as the state Chief Minister.

The 27th state athletic championships were organized at Bangalore from August 5 to 7, in both senior and junior categories. Rebecca Jose, ‘golden girl’ from Sullia, won two gold medals with new meet records. In the section meant for boys, Samsheer annexed two gold medals. He too came up with sterling performances, which bettered the previous records.

Rebecca Jose and Samsheer

In the section meant for girls up to the age of 20 years, Rebecca completed 100 metre race in 11.8 seconds. In the process, she broke the record created by Bindurani (12 sec) in this category in 2003. On the third day of the championship, she humbled another record which again stood in Bindurani’s name, by completing 200 metres race in 24.3 seconds. Rebecca was also adjudged the ‘Best Athlete’ of the championships.

Samsheer, another star from Sullia, who is a second PU student of Moodbidri Alva’s College, won gold medals in triple jump and long jump events, with new meet records. On August 5, he covered a distance of 14.82 m in triple jump event meant for boys up to the age of 18 years. The earlier record in this event was 14.62 metres. On August 6, he humbled the previous record of 6.87 metres, by leaping to a distance of 7.07 metres. Samsheer happens to be the son of S M Ibrahim and Ayesha couple residing at Jayanagar area of the town.