Maharashtra State Olympic Games: Athletes Hirave, Kewate, Shivankar make it a golden day for Satara

Pune, Jan 5 (IANS) Satara long-distance runners stole the show on the second morning of the athletics competition in the Maharashtra State Olympic Games 2023 at the Balewadi Sports Complex, here on Thursday.

Veteran Kalidas Hirave, who is employed with the Life Insurance Corporation, stormed to victory in the men's 10000m. His colleague Balu Pukale finished second while Vivek More of Kolhapur, who won the 5000m yesterday, finished third.

In the women's division, Reshma Kewate, a first year MA student, who used to chase buffaloes in the fields while tending to them in her early years, overcame yesterday's 5000m winner Prachi Godbole's challenge to clinch the gold in 36:59.11 min. Sanika Rupnar (Sangli) claimed the bronze medal.

Sudeshna Shivankar completed the sprint doubles by bagging the 200m crown in the penultimate event to end the day for Satara athletes on a high.

In other events, teenager Sneha Madane of Aurangabad pipped her colleague Kalpana Madkami to the post to win the triple jump with a leap of 11.50m, which her coach Poonam claimed was her personal best.

Kolhapur athletes had a good outing on the track with 1500m winner Satyajit Pujari adding the 800m gold with Omkar Kumbhar bagging the silver. Vikas Khode, a BA third-year student who trains in Pune, claimed top honours in the men's 110m hurdles.

There was no stopping national level medallist Yamuna Ladkat of Nashik, now employed with the Customs, from winning the women's 800 m with a timing of 2:05.92.

Thane's Nidhi Singh also completed a grand double adding the 400m hurdles title to her 400m crown.

In Yogasana in Nashik, Nagpur clinched three gold medals while Kolhapur and Ratnagiri players claimed two gold medals on offer.

In Nagpur, Pune's Varun Kapur and Arya Bhivpatki will face off in the badminton men's singles final while the women's singles summit clash will be an all-Nashik affair between Smit Toshniwal and Hetal Vishwakarma.