Runners Sanchita Baruah (in yellow) and Anupam Das as they reach the finishing line to bag gold for the 100-metre sprint in the girls? and boys? categories respectively at Nehru Stadium on Tuesday. Pictures by S. H. Patgiri

hs school tourney

Guwahati, Jan. 10: Anupam Das of Nalbari and Sanchita Baruah of Dibrugarh today emerged as the fastest boy and girl in the three-day all-Assam HS School and junior college students meet, 2005 that concluded at the Nehru Stadium here this afternoon.

Anupam, who was adjudged the best athlete as well as the best sprinter of the meet, ran all the way to the 100 metres gold with a timing of 11.40 seconds to add to his 200 metres and long jump gold medals.

Anupam was followed by Biswajit Pegu of Kamrup who clocked 11.5 seconds and Utpal Deka, also of Kamrup, who covered the distance in 11.55 seconds.

Sanchita, a Class XI student of Dibrugarh Government Girls College, won the 100 metres gold in the girls? category with a timing of 13.64 seconds. She had earlier bagged gold in the 200 metres and long jump events.

Sanchita has been a Sports Authority of India trainee for the past three months.

Like Anupam, she was adjudged the best athlete and best sprinter of the meet.

Bandipa Rabha of Goalpara (14.05 seconds) and Anjali Konwar of Kamrup (14.22 seconds) finished second and third respectively.

Kamrup district bagged the best team title, leading with 49 points. It has five gold, seven silver and three bronze medals to its credit.

Kamrup was followed by Dibrugarh with 30 points from four gold, two silver and two bronze medals and Nalbari with 20 points from five gold, a silver and a bronze.

Niranjan Rabha and Manjuara Begum of Kamrup district were adjudged the best jumpers of the meet while Gunamoni Bora of Nagaon and Dharitri Saud of Nalbari were crowned the best middle-distance runners. While the best thrower award went to Rumi Begum, none of the boys qualified for the prize.

The highlight of the concluding day?s function was the participation of P.R. Kyndiah, Union minister for tribal affairs and DoNER.

Kyndiah lauded the organisers for putting up a grand show and said he hoped to see the next edition hosted at the newly-built Sarusajai Stadium. The stadium has been constructed for the forthcoming National Games.

The other highlight was the felicitation of former cricketer Anup Ghatak, one of the most successful fast bowlers from Assam in first class cricket. Ghatak was a Ranji selector until last year.

Former state badminton champion Pradip Chaliha, who was also supposed to be felicitated today, could not make it due to unavoidable reasons.

Chairman of the education council Dilip Kumar Kakati told The Telegraph during the concluding function that he would now try to impress upon the powers that be that awarding marks to winners of the meet would make it even more meaningful and competitive.

?To start with, I will moot the awarding of marks, say around six, to the gold medallist, three to the silver medallist and two to the bronze medallist in the HS final exams, to make sports a serious pastime for students,? Kakati said.

The council chairman said he would also try to find out what more was needed to be done to further improve the standard.

The sports meet was organised by the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council.

Altogether 531 participants from 22 districts took part in the 12 disciplines included in the meet.

Held at a budget of Rs 12 lakh, the meet was inaugurated by the chief minister?s sports adviser Robin Bordoloi on December 8.