Gowda, Luka disappoint in Shanghai Diamond League Meeting

Ace Indian discus thrower Vikas Gowda finished sixth while Tintu Luka ended ninth in 800m race in the second leg of the prestigious Diamond League Meetings series in Shanghai.

Gowda could only come up with a 61.97m, which was a disappointing performance considering that he had cleared 65.82m only last month at Mesa in United States. The US-based Indian has a personal best of 66.28m, which is also the national record.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics Piotr Malachowski of Poland won the event in 67.34m while London Games bronze winner Gerd Kanter of Estonia was second with an effort of 63.14m. Another Polishman Robert Urbanek was third in 62.85m.

In the women's 800m race, Luka finished ninth among 10 competitors with a disappointing 2:03.61 effort. Luka holds the national record of 1:59.17.

African champion Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi won the race in world leading time of 2:00.33 while Beijing Olympics silver medallist Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya was second in 2:01.28. Malika Akkaoui of Morocco finished third in 2:01.49.

Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images