Date:12/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/12/stories/2007071254032000.htm

Sport - Athletics

Poovamma in semifinals

OSTRAVA: M. R. Povamma moved into the semifinals of the girls’ 400 metres on the opening day of the World Youth athletics championships here on Wednesday.

Drawn in heat 6, won by Alexandra Sukova of Slovakia in 54.63, Poovamma could manage only the third place in 55.37 seconds and qualified for the next round as one of the two fastest losers. The other fastest loser, Italy’s Chiara Natali (56.12), came behind the Indian.

The fastest into the semifinal was Ukrainian Yuliya Baraley who clocked 53.92s. The other winners of the heats were: Mara Weekes (Barbados-55.29), Brianna Frazier (US-55.46), Graham Meshawn (US-55.12) and Latoya McDermott (Jamaica-55.93).

In the morning, Ajay Pal Singh finished 18th out of 20 contestants in his group in the boys shot put qualifying round with a throw of 16.83 metres. The Indian boy had a personal best of 17.47m at home.

Stori David of Germany topped the qualifiers list with a putt of 20.44 metres while in Ajay’s group, another German, Hendrik Muller came first with 19.83 metres.