Kathmandu, February 22:

Keshari Chaudhary, a grade eight student of Angel High School who represented the Mid-Western Region in the opening day of the Inter-regional School-level Athletics Championship, set the new women’s national record in high jump here today.

The 14-year-old Chaudhary set the record of 1.40 metres breaking Anuja Dhakal’s 18-year-old mark of 1.38m.

A resident of Bardiya, Chaudhary has ben provided a full scholarship by her school in Nepalgunj identifying her talent. “She is equally good in running, long jump and volleyball and is participating in all of them,” National Sports Council’s athletics coach and her trainer at the school Chandra Bahadur Gurung said.

“I was not aware of records but happy to learn about breaking the national record,” said Chaudhary when asked whether she knew about the national record. She also said that she had not undergone training for a long. Chaudhary also won 4x100m relay for Mid-Western Region.

Lok Kumari Mahato of Western Region (1.35m) and Binita Basnet (1.30m) finished second and third respectively in the girls’ high jump.

Other winners included Om Bahadur Pun of Western Region in boys’ shot-put (11.66m); Sita Shahi of Mid-Western in girls’ javelin throw (29.02m); Chitra Chaudhary of Mid-Western Region in boys’ 1m500m race (4:26.03); Janaki Upadhyaya of Far-Western Region in girls’ 800m (2:45.78); Chitra Chaudhary of Mid-Western Region in boys’ 10,000m (37:02.00); Mid-Western Region in girls’ 4x100m relay; and Mid-Western Region in boys’ 4x100m.