Jannatul notches second record
Having registered a high-jump record on the opening day of the 35th National Junior Athletics Championships, Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prothisthan’s (BKSP) Jannatul broke yet another record in long-jump on the concluding day of the tournament at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The eleventh grader cleared 5.42 metres in the under-18 to 19 Age Group event, eclipsing the eight-year-old record registered by former BKSP student, Papia Rani Sarker, who cleared 5.28 metres in 2011. On Friday, Jannatul broke the previous high-jump record, which she herself set, by clearing 1.65 metres.
The girl from Tangail achieved a rare feat indeed by creating national record in two separate events in the same championship. The only other athlete to do so was former BKSP student Ashrafuzzaman, who made records in both the 200 metre and 400 metre sprints at the junior level in 2015.
At 5’7”, the lanky teenager also participates in the 400 metre run, 100X4 and 400X4 relays but her pet event is the high-jump. Jannatul, who wants to concentrate solely on high-jump events at the senior level, produced high-jump national records in three successive junior championships by clearing 1.25 metres, 1.61 metres and 1.65 metres in 2017, 2018 and 2019 respectively.
“I have little knowledge that a single athlete made two separate records in a single meet here but winning a gold medal is always something good and it’s even better when it comes with a national record. I really feel good to have made two national records,” said Jannatul.
“I practice the high-jump year round and have little preparation for long-jump, which I started last year but I had confidence to make a record in both events because I produced good results in training,” she explained.
“Actually I want to focus on high-jump and want to progress gradually. I want to win high-jump gold at senior level in a bid to get a place in the senior national team and then want to do something in the SA Games,” continued Jannatul, who is confident about crossing the 1.68 metre mark, which was good enough to a gold medal at a senior competition earlier this year.
BKSP coach and former national high-jumper Foujia Huda Jui also believes that Jannatul has a good chance to produce good results at the international level.
“It is now tough to win a gold medal in sprint events at the international level, rather it is comparatively easy to win a gold medal in events like high-jump, long-jump and throws. I think we should concentrate on these events instead of sprint and Jannatul has good prospects in high jump as she has explosive power with good muscle form, something learned through tests. Her gradual improvement every year is evidence of how good she is,” said Jui, who won two silver medals in high-jump from the SA Games.
HIGHLIGHTS
* The two-day 35th National Junior Athletics Championships came to an end yesterday with seven national records having been produced, five of which were set on the concluding day.
* Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) retained the title with 20 gold, eight silver and five bronze medals while Noakhali DSA came in second with three gold, four silver and five bronzes. Narail DSA became third with two gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals.
* Three national records were set in a single event, the under-18 to 19 discus throw, with Anamul Haque (35.60 metres), Rasel Islam (34.71 metres) and Limon Hossain (34.05 metres) clearing the previous record of 33.55 meters, which was registered by Limon in 2018.
* In the same age-group of the girls’ discus throw event, Sharmin Akter broke a 12-year-old record by clearing 28.95 metres. The previous record belonged to Ayesha Akter, who cleared 28.34 metres in 2007.
* Jannatul achieved a rare feat at the junior level by creating national records in two separate events –the high-jump and long-jump -- in a single championship.
* Sumaiya Dewan clocked in at 12.22 seconds (hand) to break the 100 metre sprint national record of the under-16 to 17 age group, eclipsing Irin Akter’s previous best of 12.44 seconds.
* Some 363 athletes from 40 organisations vied for 41 gold medals.
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