Annu Rani sets new javelin record

Patiala, March 15

Javelin thrower Annu Rani has improved on her national record on the opening day of the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships here today, though she failed to qualify for the Olympic Games by 0.76 metre. Rani had a best throw of 63.24m today, with her third attempt, improving on her previous national mark (62.43m) by 0.81m. She had set the previous mark at the World Championships in Doha in 2019. The Tokyo Olympics qualification mark is 64m.

Rani, however, currently holds a provisional qualification spot for the Tokyo Games through her world ranking of No. 12 and a Quota Place ranking of 15 in the discipline. A total of 32 athletes will be part of the discipline at the Tokyo Games and 11 spots have been earned so far through the 64m mark.

Rani’s new mark today, when ratified by World Athletics, will help her keep the second spot in the list of the best throws in women’s javelin throw this season.

As per World Athletics, the rankings are the primary mode of qualification for the Games while the automatic preset standards provide an alternate pathway, and are to be set high enough to allow exceptional performances to gain entry.

The 28-year-old Meerut girl, who had won a bronze in the 2014 Asian Games and a silver in the Asian Championships in 2019, was representing Uttar Pradesh in the national event. — TNS, Agencies