Soma Biswas crosses a hurdle ahead of Sushmita Singha Roy at Salt Lake Stadium on Thursday

Calcutta: Soma Biswas showed that she is not a spent force. Not yet. A veteran of two Olympics, the Eastern Railway girl outshone and outpaced stablemate Sushmita Singha Roy in what was being billed as the battle between the old and new world order.

On Day II of the 56th State Athletics Championships on Thursday, the 29-year-old clocked just under 14 seconds (13.8) to create a new meet record in women’s 100m hurdles. Nineteen-year-old Sushmita finished second with 14.

The result was unimportant. With the Doha Asian Games on her mind, Soma’s performance gave her the much-needed boost ahead of the qualifiers in Jamshedpur and Chennai. And she knows it.

“My target was to clock under 14. This is an indication that I am on the right track as far as training is concerned. Hurdles is one of the key event of heptathlon, one of my strengths. Good to see I’m still there,” said the soft-spoken Soma.

The Eastern Railway athlete, whose best timing in this event is 13.62 (in Federation Cup in Chennai), said she needs to increase her speed between the hurdles.

“Before the qualifiers, I’ll be making an assessment of my form in heptathlon in the Inter-Railway meet from September 5,” Soma said, adding “My plans of going abroad for practice have been cuppered due to cold weather conditions. I will try my best to reach the 6000-mark my coach has set for me by practising here.”

And she has a tough job on hands. Apart from the challenge of equally-talented Sushmita, who incidentally, said a bad start cost her the first place, Soma would be vying for a spot in the Doha flight against J.J. Shobha as well.

“My campaign has just started. This is just a small beginning”, said Soma, admitting that the presence of Sushmita has been beneficial for her in more ways than one.

“She is a tremendous competitor. We are friends outside the arena, but on it, her presence makes me go even faster”, said Soma.

Meanwhile, Nilima Basu of Nabadweep created the day’s second meet record in the girls’ under-16. Her timing of 59.1 seconds bettered that of Sutapa Das’ in 1997.

OTHER RESULTS

Girls’ (U-18) 100m hurdles: 1. Mita Sinha 16.8, 2. Susmita Paul 18.3, 3. Krishna Koley 18.7, Girls’ (U-16) 100m hurdles: 1. Salma Khatun 16.8, 2. Tania Som 17.8, 3. Sonia Munda 17.9; Boys’ (U-18) high jump: 1. Tonmoy Adhikari 1.86m, 2. Jiten Dhal 1.75, 3. Indrajit Burman 1.72; Boys’ (U-20) 1500m: 1. Manoj Oraon 4:14.6, 2. Biswajit Garai 4:14.9, 3. Hasibur Rahman Mondal 4:15.1; Men’s long jump: 1. Susen Roy 7.02, 2. Suman Majhi 6.94, 3. Sadhan Biswas 6.78; Boys’ (U-18) 1500m: 1. Biplab Das 4:20.2, 2. Utpal Mondal 4:21.2, 3. Raju Maity 4:24.2; Boys’ (U-18) shot put: 1. Anwar Hossain Sk. 12.71, 2. Suraj Chowdhury 12.69, 3. Ujjal Roy 12.66; Boys’ (U-16) javelin: 1. Sintu Ghosh 50.90, 2. Asadul Mondal 48.86, 3. Rezaul Mollah 48.59; Boys’ (U-16) shot put: 1. Gautam Roy 11.51, 2. Subrata Ojha 11.34, 3. Uday Roy 11.34; Boys (U-20) long jump: 1. Feroze Sk 6.91, 2. Mohasin Mollah 6.56, 3. Anisur Rahman Biswas 6.49; Boys’ (U-18) javelin: 1. Upen Adhikary 48.09, 2. Bapi Roy 47.29, 3. Suraj Chowdhury 46.10; Girls’ (U-16) 400m: 1. Nilima Basu 59.1, NMR, 2. Debashree Majumdar 59.6, 3. Bulti Santra 1:01.9; Girls’ (U-18) 400: 1. Sumitra Bhatta 59.8, 2. Bratati Basanta 1:00.1, 3. Ishita Das 1:00.3; Men’s 800: 1. Amitava Roy 1:59.8, 2. Y. Samba Siva 2:00.3; Men’s javelin: 1. Dipak Mallick 57.56, 2. Biswanath Pratap Sardar 57.41, 3. Gautam Singha Roy 57.27; Girls’ (U-16) shot put: 1. Pinky Dey 10.51, 2. Subhra Ghosh 9.64, 3. Krishna Burman 8.70.