Date:12/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/12/stories/2006021210461800.htm

Sport - Athletics

Anju settles for silver

BANGKOK: Anju Bobby George had to settle for silver after finishing behind Japanese Maho Hanaoka in her first meet of the season at the Asian indoor athletics championships in Pattaya on Saturday.

Anju could manage only a best of 6.32m while the 30-year-old Japanese — ranked 29 places behind the Indian — covered a distance of 6.40m to claim the gold.

The below-par performance will not help Anju gather any significant points towards her aim of moving up in the world rankings. Anju and husband-coach Bobby George were looking forward for a mark above 6.50m before leaving for Bangkok.

On Saturday, India also won two bronzes after Ghamanda Ram and O.P. Jaisha finished third in the men's 800m and women's 3000m events respectively. Earlier, Sinimol Paulose opened India's account by winning the silver in the women's 800m event on Friday.

Ghamanda Ram clocked 1:51.45 while coming third in the 800m, the Armyman's first medal at the Asian senior level. Qataris Salam Al Badri (1:50.93) and Adam Abdu Adam Ali (1:51.29) won the gold and silver medals respectively.

In the women's 3000m, Chinese athletes took the gold and silver with Zhu Xiaolin timing 9:25.60 and Sun Weiwei clocking 9:25.69. Jaisha finished in 9:26.72 for her first Asian senior medal.

On Friday, Sinimol Paulose broke the 800m meet record along with gold winner Zamira Amirova of Uzbekistan. Amirova clocked 2:07.39 followed by Sinimol (2:07.01) and Viktoriya Yalovtsen of Kazakhstan (2:08.92).