Two more Indians disappoint on damp day

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Sydney: Two more Indian athletes, Neelam Jaswant Singh and Sanjay K Rai, too, turned in disappointing performances at the athletics competition in the Olympic Games here.

Neelam Singh performed way below her best of 61-metre plus, while Sanjay Rai did not make any legal jump.

The 29-year-old Neelam, who a gold medal at the Asian championships in Jakarta, managed a best of 55.26 metres and that saw her finish way down in the 14th place out of 16 starters in her group. Overall at the end of qualification rounds from either groups, Neelam finished 26th out of 32 competitors.

Neelam's best on the domestic circuit has been above 61 metres and had she achieved that she would have made the 12-woman final for the last qualifier to go through Franka Dietzsch of Germany, who managed only 60.74m.

The other Indian athlete on view, Sanjay K Rai gave up after one effort in long jump. He fouled his first attempt and then called it a day. Like Neelam, had he also recorded his best achieved in India - 8.03 metres - he would also have qualified.

The weather for the second day in a row was cold and damp. But for Indian athletes, who have had enough exposure in different climates, this couldhardly be touted as an excuse.

In women's discus, the top qualifier was Ellina Zvereva of Belarus who touched 64.81m, while in Group 'B' Russia's Natalya Sadova (64.62m) and Anastasia Kelesidou of Greece (63.64m) were able to get past thethe qualification set at 63.00 metres.

The next nine in the finishing order from both groups joined them in the final. The best Asian to move into the final was China's Yu Xin, with a best throw of 61.00 metres.

In men's long jump, the best effort came from Cuban Ivan Pedroso in Sanjay's group and he cleared 8.03 metres.

India Abroad News Service