Indian Athletics Thread ...

[sameerph]

These are couple of articles in Indian athletes preparation for Rio -

Indians to train in Spala for Rio

Two months left to clinch Olympic berths

So, Poland is the new destination for our athletes in quest to meet the Rio qualification standards.

[Mugundan]

So, Poland is the new destination for our athletes in quest to meet the Rio qualification standards.

For years it used to be Kiev and Yalta in Ukraine. Now Spala, that too for three months...

[sameerph]

This was from Mugu in the Rio Olympics thread -

I will be keenly waiting to see how Lalita Babar performs in steeplechase in the Diamond League meeting in Shanghai on the 14th. Sudha Singh is also in the line-up.

Lalita Babar did not do that well coming 14th with 9:43.30 but Sudha Singh did really well bettering the national record of Babar wit a timing of 9.26.55 seconds. I think national record in this event has been broken multiple times in last couple of years by these 2. They are still far away from the gold winning performance of 9:07.42 by a Kenyan. But, these kind of improvement can take them to the top 8 in Rio although a medal still looks improbable.

[Mugundan]

Top 8 in steeplechase looked a possibility a couple of weeks ago. With this result it now looks remote. Babar had even talked about aiming for a medal, cutting her time down to 9:08-9:10 (how in just three months to cut so much down, it was not explained). This result shows even a top-10 finish for either of them could be tough. Both can still make it to the final (15 to qualify normally) and that in itself would be an achievement never before reached by Indian athletes. National record in women's steeplechase will keep improving for several years now. But the world record set by Russian Gulnara Galkina in winning the gold in Beijing Olympics (8:58.81) has remained untouched. She also has the second best all-time (9:01.59) and the third best is some distance away at 9:05.36 by Tunisian Habiba Ghribi who could be the favourite at Rio. The WR looks destined to last longer than one can imagine for an event just over a decade old at the highest level.
Can't figure out what could have happened with Babar. Not hundred per cent perhaps. Or else a slight injury while running the race. Reports have been sketchy, all based on just results.

[sameerph]

Another national record was created in US in 110m hurdles by Siddhanth Thingalaya but he was still short of Rio qualification mark . Here is the article on that-

Siddhanth Thingalaya in the form of his life

[sameerph]

The Indian’s women 4x100m relay team, anchored by Dutee Chand, broke the 18-year-old national record in the event by clocking 44.03s while finishing fourth in the IAAF World Challenge athletics meet in Beijing on Wednesday. They broke the record set in 1998 in Asian Championship at Fukuoka . However, our womens team is still outside top 16 ranked relay teams in the world and therefore, short of qualification for Rio. Will need to go further to qualify for Rio.

However, pleasing to see so many national records getting broken in last couple of months or so.

That they all are still short of Rio qualification marks show how far we are behind in world standards.

[sameerph]

Seema Punia qualified for Rio Olympics in womens discuss with a throw of 62.62 mtrs in a meet in California. Qualification mark was 61 mtrs.

[suresh]

O P Jaisha is going to Rio to participate in her first Olympics at age 32. Read this inspiring story if and when you have the time.

From eating mud to Olympic participation: The remarkable journey of India's O P Jaisha

[Varma]

That is truly an inspiring story of Jaisha! The fact that she broke a long standing national record at an abroad competition is testimony to her ability. @Mugu...what do you think in terms of high how she can reach before she calls it a day?

@Suresh,,,Thanks for sharing the article.

- Varma

[sameerph]

Yes, that is a very good article on Jaisha.

This is another on Neeraj Chopra's attempt to qualify for Rio and to win a medal at world juniors -

Pressure of two big goals weighing Neeraj Chopra down

[Mugundan]

That is truly an inspiring story of Jaisha! The fact that she broke a long standing national record at an abroad competition is testimony to her ability. @Mugu...what do you think in terms of high how she can reach before she calls it a day?

@Suresh,,,Thanks for sharing the article.

- Varma

A top-20 finish in marathon in Rio would be a very creditable achievement. Making the final in any track event would also be considered equally creditable in case she qualifies either in 1500 or 5000 for the Olympics. At 33 years she cannot be having much time left in her running career though she can still win a few marathons at home considering the poor standards.

[sameerph]

Couple of excellent performances of Indian relay teams today in Europe. This is the press release from Athletics Federation of India -

ndian men 4x400m relay team notch up new National Record!
New Delhi, June 12, 2016: The Indian men's 4x400m relay team created a new National record, clocking 3:02.17sec at the International Sprint and Relay Teams Cup at Erzurum (Turkey) today, according to information received from the Indian team management.
The Indian quartet, comprising of Asian Games Bronze medalist Arokiya Rajiv, Mohd. Anas, A Darun and Mohd Kunhu bettered the previous record of 3:02.62sec set at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's 4x400m relay team, who are the reigning Asian Games champion and record-holder, clocked 3:30.16sec and jumped to world No. 12 in the rankings, to emerge as strong contenders for a qualification berth for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Earlier, the Indian team management decided to field two teams each in both the relay events for more options.The men's second team (B team) clocked 3:06.61sec while the women's second team (B team) finished with a timing of 3:34.45sec. While the men's relay team is currently placed No.17, the coaches are of the view that the team is capable of reaching the top-12 rankings with a couple of more races. As per the IAAF regulations, only the top-16 teams as per qualification norms and word rankings under a stipulated period, will be eligible for participation in the relay events at the Rio Olympic Games.

As per the qualification rules, top 8 teams from 2015 IAAF World Relays and next 8 best ranked not among those 8 as on July 12 will qualify for Rio.

As of now, our womens team looks to have a pretty good chance of making it and mens team has an outside chance.

[Mugundan]

A clarification: Sunday's timing of 3:02.17 by the men's team places it at the 20th slot overall in the rankings (top eight from World Relays 2015 automatic qualifiers) plus rest based on aggregate of two best times between Jan 1, 2015 and July 11, 2016. Another 3:02 or even 3:03 timing will help the men's team qualify.
The women's team after yesterday's 3:30.16 is lying 13th (not 12th as calculated by AFI). They look sure to make it. There is another meet coming up at Erzurum on 18th or 19th and both our teams should clinch it. Erzurum is at an altitude of 1750 metres and that is obviously helping runners. Turkey clocked national records in men's 4x100 and men's 4x400 on Sunday.

[sameerph]

Thanks, Mugu. So, mens team looks to have a fair chance of qualifying too. I guess if they do it will be some time that the mens relay team qualifies. Womens team also looks on course.

In the meantime a couple more good performances in US with Siddhanth Thingaliya breaking his own national record -

Siddhanth Thingalaya shatters national record again

So, both Siddhant and Krishna Poonia are getting closer to Rio qualification mark.

[Varma]

That meet where Siddhanth hit the wind-aided qualifying mark was in Southern California, roughly within an hour's drive from where I live. I wish I had known about that earlier. Anyway, I managed to get the contact of Siddhanth's coach, Gary Cablyan, and left him a message earlier today. He was kind enough to return my call just a few minutes back. Looks like Siddhanth is currently competing in European circuit. He finished his first race yesterday and won it, although he couldn't meet the qualification mark. As per Gary, he has four more chances in Europe. I will try to meet Siddhanth in person when he gets back to the US in about a month. Hopefully he will have qualified for Rio by then. If all goes well, I would like to interview him for the forum .

- Varma