World Athletics C'ships: Murali Shreesankar fails to reach long jump final; poor day for women's 3000 steeplechase athletes

Tokyo [Japan], September 15 (ANI): Asian Games silver medalist Murali Sreeshankar bowed out of the men long jump event in the qualification round itself during the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Monday.

The 26-year-old best effort of 7.78m, with other legal attempts of 7.70 m and 7.59 m, earned him a 14th place in Group A of athletes and overall 25th amongst 36 players. His returns were not sufficient to help him meet the qualification criteria of 8.15 m jump or finish in the top 12 needed to reach the medal round, as per Olympics.com.

Sreeshankar had made a return from a long injury layoff after a knee injury that ruled him out of the Paris 2024 Olympics. He entered the World Championships with five wins in five events and a season-best of 8.13 m at the Indian Open in Bhubaneswar last month. His personal best is 8.41 m, just short of Jeswin Aldrin national record of 8.42 m.

At the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, Sreeshankar made it to the final and secured a seventh-place finish with a leap of 7.96m.

It was a poor day at work for India women 3000 m steeplechasers, with Parul Chaudhary, the national record holder with 9:12.46s, clocking 9:22.24s to finish ninth in her heat and gaining a 20th-place finish overall. Parul had made it to the final two years back in the Budapest edition of the championships.

Ankita Dhyani was 11th in her heat with a time of 10:03.22s and 35th overall, securing the last spot in the field. They both needed a top-five in their respective heats to reach the medal round, but fell way short.

Tejas Shirse, in men 110 m hurdles, clocked 13.57 seconds and finished sixth in his heat. He is the national record holder with 13.41 seconds. Tejas finished in 29th spot in a field of 42 athletes, missing out on the semifinals.

India has secured only three medals in the World Athletics Championships in their history so far. Anju Bobby George won long jump bronze at Paris 2003, while Neeraj Chopra claimed javelin silver at Oregon 2022 and clinched a historic, first-time ever gold at Budapest in 2023 to solidify his legacy as one of India greatest athletes ever.

India Tokyo 2025 contingent includes 19 members, including 14 men and five women, competing across 15 events. (ANI)

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