Three national records and 14 meet records were rewritten after the sixth and final day of the track and field events at the 31st National Games in Ludhiana as hosts Punjab emerged overall champion with ten gold, ten silver and 14 bronze. Three meet records were made on the concluding day Sunday with Ajai Raj Singh of Punjab stealing the limelight with a new meet record in the 200 m clocking 21.20 s edging out favourite and National record holder Anil Kumar who took silver with a timing of 21.29 s. Punjab's Vikas Prasher came third to take bronze with a timing of 21.75 s. The other meet records were made in the men's and women's 4x400 m relay by Kerala and Tamil Nadu respectively. Kerala, with five gold, six silver and two bronze, finished second and Tamil Nadu with five gold, five silver and four bronze came third in the overall medals tally in athletics. Ajai broke Anil's meet record of 21.35 s made in last National games in Manipur in 1999. Anil, who holds national record with a timing of 20.80 s, managed to better his own meet record finishing second clocking 21.29 s. Earlier, he won a silver in the 100 m. Ajai was brave to point out that it was due to Anil's poor show that he won the medal. Anil was clearly the favourite, but I thought he did not run the way he normally does,'' he said adding that he was satisfied with his performance.
Bureau Report