The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Vij qualifies for final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Aug 19, 2006

Sport

Sport - Athletics

Vij qualifies for final

BEIJING: Sourabh Vij lived up to his reputation as India's best bet in the World junior athletics meet by qualifying for the men's shot put final here on Friday. His opening throw of 19.27m bettered the automatic qualifying mark (18.90m) and Vij eventually topped his group.

American John Hickey produced a last-gasp effort of 19.49m after two fouls to head the other group. Vij was overall third among the qualifiers.

Four others, including Cuban Carlos Veliz (19.25m) and Kuwaiti Mohammad Mashari (19.31m) crossed 19m among the 12 qualifiers. Vij, who leads the season's lists with his 20.35m at Chennai, had earlier won the silver medal in the Asian junior championships in Macau.

Om Prakash, the second Indian in the fray, finished sixth in his group with 18.41m and failed to qualify for the final, which will be held on Saturday.

The results:

Men: 200m: 1. Marek Niit (Est) 20.96s; 2. Brian Barnett (Can); 3. Alexander Nelson (GBr). 800m: 1. David Rudisha (Ken) 1:47.40; 2. Jackson Kivuna (Ken); 3. Abraham Chepkirwok (Uga). 400m hurdles: 1. Chris Carter (U.S.) 50.58s; 2. Bandar Shraheli (KSA); 3. Stanislav Melnykov (Ukr). Hammer throw: 1. Yevgeniy Admire (Rus) 78.42m; 2. Kristof Nemeth (Hun); 3. Marcel Lomnicky (Svk).

Women: 200m: 1. Tezdzhan Naimova (Bul) 22.99s; 2. Vanda Gomes (Bra); 3. Ewelina Klocek (Pol). 800m: 1. Olga Cristea (Mda) 2:4.52; 2. Winny Chebet (Ken); 3. Rebakah Nobel (U.S.). 100m hurdles: 1. Yekaterina Shtepa (Rus) 13.33s; 2. Christina Vukicekic (Nor); 3. Tiffany Ofilu (U.S.). Pole vault: 1. Yang Zhou (Chn) 4.30m; 2. Tina Sutej (Slo); 3. Vicky Parnov (Aus).