Indian sports wrap, October 27: Benson, Reena win Kochi Spice Coast Marathon 2024

Here are all the major updates, scores and results of Indians in the world of sports on October 27.

Sachin Tendulkar with C.B. Benson, winner of the men’s competition of the Kochi Spice Coast Marathon 2024 | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

ATHLETICS

Benson, Reena win Kochi Spice Coast Marathon

Local runners C.B. Benson and Reena Manohar won the men’s and women’s titles respectively in the Ageas Federal Life Insurance Kochi Spice Coast Marathon at the Marine Drive here on Sunday.

Benson, who had finished second in the two previous editions, comfortably tackled the men’s 42.2km in 3:00.42s on a cool, overcast morning while Reena won the women’s marathon in 4:50.06s.

“I am delighted to see so many running enthusiasts turn up so early in the morning. It’s even more heartening to see so many women and elderly in the mix,” said cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, the brand ambassador of Ageas Federal Life Insurance, during the awards function.

The marathon, organised by Soles of Kochi, attracted over 8,000 runners in its different formats. Several NGOs and corporates fielded teams and Kochi Police had 126 runners, including 50 women.

Meanwhile, K.M. Sajith won the half-marathon for the third successive time while A.K. Rana took the women’s title.

The results:

Marathon (42.2km):

Men: 1. C.B. Benson (3:00.42s), 2. Justin (3:06.56), 3. Sreenidhi Sreekumar (3:08.49).

Women: 1. Reena Manohar (4:50.06s), 2. Mary Joshy (4:53.59); 3. Nileena Babu (4:54.32).

Half marathon (21.1 km):

Men: 1. K.M. Sajith (1:21.23s), 2. Athul Raj (01:22.37), 3. V.R. Vishnu (1:23.05).

Women: 1. A.K. Rama (1:55.33s), 2. Jaseena Khani (1:58.03), 3. Bismy Augustine (1:59.00).

-Stan Rayan

HOCKEY

Tamanna scores seven as GMSSS beats Government Excellence HSS in Nehru girls hockey tournament

Tamanna struck seven goals in guiding Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-18C, Chandigarh, to a 21-0 victory over Government Excellence Higher Secondary School, Sivni, Madhya Pradesh, in a league match of the Charanjit Rai 30th Nehru girls hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium on Sunday.

The results (league):

Krida Prabodhini, Pune, 17 (Arpita Sarode 4, Vaishnavi Pandhare 4, Gayatri Puri 3, Prachi Panchore 2, Purva Dupare 2, Gunjan Baviskar, Pragati Bhandekar) bt Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Zinc Nagar, Odisha, 0.

GM Patel Kanya Vidyalaya, Jamnagar, Gujarat, 9 (Nandaniya Ben 3, armar Puri Ben 3, Vala Archana 2, Parmar Niyati Ben) bt Khalsa Girls HS, Kolkata, 0.

Government Model SSS, Sector-18C, Chandigarh, 21 (Tamanna 7, Sapna 3, Vedangi Vyas 3, Harvinder Kaur 3, Apram Rambhateri, Amrit Kaur, Happy, Nenshi) bt Government Excellentce HSS, Sivni, Madhya Pradesh, 0.

Government Inter College, BHEL, Haridwar, 20 (Kehkasha Ali 5, Meenakshi 4, Gungun Katariya 3, Mansi Katariya 3, Mukta 3, Beena, Kareena) bt SNBP Institute, Pune, 0.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

TENNIS

Ankita-Dalila pair loses in final of Kayseri 2024 tournament

Top seeds Ankita Raina and Dalila Jakupovic were beaten 6-3, 2-6, [10-6] in the doubles final by Isabella Aguirre and Abigail Rencheli in the $25,000 ITF women’s tennis tournament in Kayseri, Turkey, on Sunday.

The results:

$25,000 ITF women, Kayseri, Turkey

Doubles (final): Isabella Aguirre & Abigail Rencheli (USA) bt Dalila Jakupovic (Slo) & Ankita Raina 6-3, 2-6, [10-6].

-Kamesh Srinivasan

FOOTBALL

Kannur Warriors shake off a fighting Malappuram, enters Super League Kerala semifinal

Two desperate teams cooked up a seven-goal party but in the end it was Kannur Warriors FC which edged past a fighting Malappuram FC 4-3 in the Super League Kerala at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode on Sunday night.

The victory which took Kannur to 16 points, the same as league leader Calicut FC, carried it to the semifinal, the second team to do so.

After losing its last game, Kannur had Forca Kochi breathing down its neck in the points table and its intent was clear... to win at all cost.

Kannur’s Asier Gomes scores the first goal against Malappuram. | Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

Kannur was in a hurry, it came up with fast moves and scored two quick goals, through Spaniard Asier Gomes in the second minute and midfielder Pragyan Sundar in the eighth. The first goal was a nice one. Rishad advanced through the right and sent a lovely cross into the box for Gomes to do the rest.

Pragyan had a lot of work to do for the second goal. As he went on a solo run, he had a rival virtually fall at his feet and then another defender attempting to pull him back as he entered the box but the midfielder kept his cool and beat the goalkeeper Muhammed Sinan with an angled shot.

The Malappuram defence had looked shady all this while but the visitor fought back and levelled the score 2-2 by half time with goals from Faslu Rahman – an angled shot from the right following throw-in – and a smart freekick from just outside the box from Aitor Aldalur.

The teams were level 3-3 in the 52nd minute but Kannur had the last laugh with Alister Anthony scoring the match-winner from the centre of the box in the 79th minute.

The result:

Kannur Warriors FC 4 (Asier Gomes 2, Pragyan Sundar 8, Adrian Sardinero 48, Alister Anthony 79) bt Malappuram FC 3 (Faslu Rahman 28, Aitor Aldalur 45+4, Sergio Barboza 52).

-Stan Rayan