The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Vikas progresses in shot put

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 20, 2006

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Sport - Athletics

Vikas progresses in shot put

Manjit Kaur qualifies for semifinals as second fastest loser

Melbourne: Vikas Gowda qualified for the next round with an effort of 18.37m in shot put, while Manjit Kaur made it to the women's 400m semifinal after being second among the fastest losers in the athletics competitions of the Commonwealth Games here on Sunday.

The U.S.-based Vikas, who shot into the limelight during the Athens Olympics, did surprisingly well in shot put though it is not his pet event. He has also entered his favourite discus event, where he is expected to do well.

The 23-year-old Vikas failed in his first attempt, then cleared a distance of 17.91m and came up with a season's best throw of 18.37 in his final attempt. The tall and well built Indian was fifth in a field of 15 throwers, but the gap between him and the other four was too much.

Australian Scott Martin threw to a distance of 19.64m in his first and only attempt and nobody could come close to that mark.

The 24-year-old Manjit timed 53.06 and was placed fourth after the heats in which six runners took part. The Indian was slow off the blocks and was fortunate to have finished fourth. She was second among the nine fast losers who qualified along with 15 main qualifiers, three from each heats.

Super mom

Australia's Kerryn McCann retained her Commonwealth Games women's marathon title in scintillating style in a sprint to the line amid roars from a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Samson Ramadhani gave Tanzania its second successive Games men's marathon title, recording a comfortable victory after taking the lead in the last kilometre.

With athletics returning to the state-of-the-art MCG stadium for the first time since the 1956 Olympics, it was fitting that an Australian took the first gold in front of 76,500 expectant spectators.

McCann, a 38-year-old mother of two, fought out an extraordinary duel with Kenya's Helen Cherono Koskei over the last few kilometres as they exchanged the lead several times.

``The crowd just lifted me,'' said an emotional McCann, who spent two-and-a-half weeks away from her children in a pre-Games training camp to rest. ``She (Koskei) kept coming back, either side of me. I've never been in a race that close.''

Viljoen wins javelin gold

South African Sunette Viljoen, at the centre of a bizarre doping case last year, claimed her first major title by winning the javelin gold.

Viljoen edged out defending champion Laverne Eve of Bahamas with a throw of 60.72m.

Eve's effort of 60.54 in the third round was the only throw which came close to matching Viljoen's, with no other competitor able to pass 60m.

Olivia McKoy of Jamaica threw 58.27m in the final round to take the bronze medal.

Powell powers ahead

Meanwhile, world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica eased into the 100m semifinals. Powell strolled to victory in his opening heats in 10.53s and looked almost as comfortable in winning his second round heats in 10.29.

Uchenna Emedolu of Nigeria was the fastest qualifier in 10.15, 0.06 seconds quicker than England's Marlon Devonish. — Agencies

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