The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Anju to skip Bangkok

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Anju to skip Bangkok

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: A heel injury that she suffered while training in Bangalore, two days before leaving for Dubai last week, has forced Anju George to skip the first meet of the Asian Grand Prix series at Bangkok on May 18.

The star long jumper, Asian champion and Asian Games champion, will compete in the next two legs at Bangalore (May 22) and Pune (May 26). She has, however, decided to drop the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA, on May 28, from her itinerary.

In suspense

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI), after much dithering, announced its team for the three Asian Grand Prix legs on Monday but still left the participation of discus thrower Seema Antil in suspense.

Seema would compete in the Bangalore and Pune meets, the AFI secretary, Lalit Bhanot, said on Monday. It was not clear what fitness problem, if at all, she had.

From among the athletes originally chosen by AAA, Bhupinder Singh (400m), Ghamanda Ram (800m), Ranvijay Singh (shot put), S. Geetha (women's 400m) and Harwant Kaur (women's discus) have also withdrawn for some reason or the other.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Asian champion in the 200 metres and Asian Games champion in the 400m, Damayanthi Darsha, has withdrawn from the series because of an injury. Fans in Thailand and India would, however, be able to watch the comeback of Sydney Olympics medallist Susanthika Jayasinghe in the 200 metres.

Indians selected by the AAA and competing in three legs: Men: Anil Kumar (100m), Satbir Singh (400m), Francis Sagiaraj (800m), Sunil Kumar and Pritam Bind (3000m), Joseph Abraham and Gurpreet Singh (400m hurdles), Hari Shankar Roy (high jump), Amritpal Singh and Mahan Singh (long jump), Navpreet Singh (shot put), Jagdish Kumar Bishnoi and Anil Singh (javelin).

Women: Rajwinder Kaur (200m), Manjeet Kaur (400m), Pinki Paramanik and S. Shanthi (800m), Anuradha Biswal (100m hurdles), Krishna Poonia (discus).

Indian athletes chosen for only Bangalore and Pune meets: Men: Vilas Neelgund and Jagdish Basak (100m); Srinivas S. and Kuldev Singh (400m); P. Shankar (400m hurdles); R. Rajeev, Amit Kumar and Jaskaran Singh (800m); Ravinder, Santosh Kumar and Raghunath (3000m); Shiv Shankar Yadav, Shamsher Singh and Sarvana Kumar (long jump); Benedict Starley (high jump); Om Prakash (shot put), Gurkirat Singh and Sunil Kumar Goswami (javelin). Women: H.M. Jyothi (200m); M.R. Poovamma (400m); Jhuma Khatun (800m); Anisha K. Vijayan (long jump); Saroj Sihag (discus).

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