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Neelam Singh fails to qualify

August 07, 2005 18:13 IST

Neelam Jaswant Singh failed to make it to the final of the women's discus throw event at the 10th world championships in Helsinki on Sunday.

Singh, who managed a best throw of 56.70 metres, fell way short of the qualifying mark of 61 metres and finished 19th out of 22 contestants.

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Czech Republic's Vera Pospmsilova topped the round with an effort of 64.26 metres, closely followed by Song Aimin of China who managed 64.15 metres.

Only seven contestants managed to achieve the qualifying mark and the line-up for the final was completed by the five best throwers from the rest of the pack.

Singh's effort fell short of her personal best of 64.55 metres achieved at the Busan Asian Games three years ago. She could not even match her best performance of the current season (60.65 metres) recorded in Patiala in May.

The thrower, ranked 26th in the world, reached the finals at the last edition of the World Championships in Paris Saint-Denis two years ago finishing 12th, but was a shadow of her former self in the Scandinavian country.

Singh managed her best effort in her first throw itself but her next attempt was a foul while she managed just 53.07 metres in the third and final effort.

Natalya Fokina of Ukraine was the contestant to go through to Tuesday's finals with the lowest measurement of 59.30 metres, way ahead of what the Indian managed.

With Vikas Gowda already eliminated from the men's discus throw, India's hopes at the championships now rest solely on ace long jumper Anju Bobby George who starts the defence of her bronze medal with the qualifying round on Tuesday.

 

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