With many of the top athletes staying away from the meet, the athletic events of the Kerala Olympic Games failed to produce any sparks at the University stadium here on Saturday.
Quality performances were at a premium even as Thiruvananthapuram finished at the top with three gold medals at the end of the first day’s competition.
The host’s domination continued in swimming as well as it won seven gold medals on the first day. Liyana Fatima Umer (Kasargod) won a double to hog the limelight. Liyana came first in the women’s 100m freestyle (1:05.61) and in the 200m butterfly stroke (2:44.30) to complete her double.
Thiruvananthapuram won the 4x200m freestyle relay in both sections while Ernakulam won the 4x50m freestyle relay.
Host’s grapplers T.S. Ashik (60kg) and Anand V.S. Thampi (87kg) won the gold medals in Greco Roman events. Y.M. Yasin (Ernakulam) came first in 67kg while V.K. Abdul Malik (Ernakulam) won the gold in 77kg.
In football, Kozhikode set up a final showdown with Kasargod. In the semifinals, Kasargod defeated Pathanamthitta 2-0 while Kozhikode came back from behind to beat Malappuram 2-1.
In women’s basketball, Thiruvananthapuram will meet Thrissur in the final. In the semifinals, Thrissur edged out Palakkad 57-52 while Thiruvananthapuram defeated Kottayam 73-45.
The results (athletics winners only): Men: 100m: K.P. Aswin (Tvm) (10.48); 400m: Jerin Johney (Ktm) (48.46); 1500m: Benjamin Babu (Ktm) (4:35.0); 10,000m: A.P. Akshay (Pkd) (37:35.06); 110m hurdles: Basil Muhammed (Koz) (15.87); long jump: Mohammed Asif (Tvm) (7.30m); Discus throw: C.B. Bimal (Knr) (38.62m); Hammer throw: Vignesh (Pkd) (39.09m); Javelin: Arun Baby (EKm) (67.93m).
Women: 100m: A.P. Shielda (Alp) (11.63m); 400m: Ansa Babu (Tvm) (58.54); 1500m: K.P. Akshaya (Tsr) (5:16.83); 10,000m: A. Aswani (Klm) (55:26.60); 100m hurdles: R. Sreelekshmi (Alp) (15.31); Long jump: Jereena John (Knr) (8.30m); Hammer throw: Kessia Mariam Benny (46.03m).
Football (semifinals): Kasargod 2 (Sajith 9, Aboobaker Afsal 83) bt Pathanamthitta 0; Kozhikode 2 (Jaseel 13, Nandhu Krishnan 65) bt Malappuram 1 (M.D. Ansar 3).
Basketball (women): Semifinals: Thrissur 57 (Angela Sunny 16) bt Palakkad 52 (V.J. Jayalakshmi 17, Chippy Mathew 12); Thiruvananthapuram 73 (Kavitha Jose 24, Minnu Maria 16, Jeena Scaria 14) bt Kottayam 45 (Olivia T. Shaibu 11).
