It was a disappointing start for India in the track and field events of the Rio Games as all three athletes, including discus thrower Vikas Gowda, fell by the wayside at the qualification stage itself, here on Friday.
33-year-old Gowda, in his fourth straight Olympics, produced an utterly below-par performance with a best throw of 58.99m to finish 28th overall out of 34 competitors. He finished 16th in a field of 18 in Group B qualification round.
Gowda, who holds the national record of 66.28m, had come into the Olympics without taking part in any competition this year due to a shoulder injury. He had last taken part in a competition in September last year in the ISTAF Meet in Berlin.
The Mysore-born US-based Indian, the reigning Asian champion, began with a 57.59m and improved by more than a metre to 58.99m in his second throw before producing a 58.70m in his third and final attempt.
Kaur disappoints
In women's shot put, national record holder Manpreet Kaur finished a disappointing 23rd overall out of 35 competitors with a best throw if 17.06m. She finished 13th in Group B qualifying round. The 26-year-old Punjab woman, who holds the national record of 17.96m, had her two other throws of 16.68m and 16.67m to bow out of the competition with a below-par performance.
Jinson struggles
In men's 800m race, Jinson Johnson failed to qualify for the semifinals after finishing fifth with a modest timing of 1:47.27secs in Heat Number 3.
World record holder David Rudisha of Kenya won the heat in 1:45.09secs. During the race, Johnson was hit on his legs by a fellow runner at the first bend and he struggled a bit for a while before recovering.
Only the top three finishers in each of the seven heats, besides the next three fastest. The 25-year-old Johnson from Kerala had clocked 1:45.98, the second fastest by an Indian after the legenadary Sriram Singh, during the Indian Grand Prix in Begaluru last month.