Maharashtra claims overall team title

Pune, Feb 25 (UNI) The gutsy long distance runners made Maharashtra proud by winning the overall team title in the 12th Federation Cup National Cross Country Championship, that concluded today at Ramnagar in Karnataka.

''Maharashtra claimed four out of the six team title with the exception of Men's 12 Kms and four Kms event,'' the Maharashtra Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA) secretary general Pralhad Sawant said in a release issued here.

The Karnataka Amateur Athletic Asociation (KAAA) hosted championship, saw the Raut sibblings Monika-Rashmi dominating the under 20 girls four kms event winning the gold and silver, respectively, and helped Maharashtra claim the team title as well.

In the women's four Kms race, Maharashtra were well served by Swati Gurnule, who process the silver, while Aswini Dukandar pocketed the bronze and in the bargain helped win the team title as well.

The women's eight Kms event was tough going for Maharashtra but they managed to capture the team title through the efforts of Kavita Raut, captain, and Madhuri Gurnule and Rashmi Gurnule who finished - fouth, fifth and ninth, respectively.

However, the biggest disappointment for the State was that their top international player, Sandeep Tayde, who failed to capture any medal in the mens 12kms race, Mr Sawant said.

''It was indeed befitting that Maharashtra could claim the overall team title through their gutsy performance in the championship and brought laurel to the State,'' Mr Sawant added.

UNI