Bobby leaps to a new high

Bangalore:

Kerala's Bobby Aloysius created a new national record in women's High Jump, clearing a height of 1.90 metres on the third and concluding day of the McDowell 42nd Senior National Inter-State Athletic championship here today. Twenty-eight-year-old Bobby obliterated her own mark of 1.86 metres set in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo in November 1998. She also erased the meet record of 1.84 metres, also in her name. "I am happy. I was aiming for 1.90 metres," said Bobby, who was training in Moscow for the last three-and-a-half months. Buoyed by her stupendous feat, the Chennai-based Customs Officer tried to clear 1.93 metres but failed. Meanwhile, hosts Karnataka, with 73 points, won the Men's Team Championship, while Punjab and Tamil Nadu jointly lifted the Women's Team Championship, having tallied an identical 81 points. Haryana's Satbir Singh was declared the best athlete in the men's section, and Bobby in the women's. (PTI)