Date:07/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/07/stories/2007080773692000.htm

Sport - Athletics

Seema Antil in team for Osaka

NEW DELHI: Discus thrower Seema Antil whose form was found to be not good enough for the recent Asian championships has been included in the team for the World championships to be held in Osaka from August 25.

Seema whose ‘B’ norm (59.00m) dates back to the Melbourne Commonwealth Games (60.56) in March last year will be the second Indian entry in women’s discus behind Krishna Poonia who has an ‘A’ standard (61.00m) with her 61.53 in the Doha Asian Games.

The rules of the IAAF now allow one entry with ‘A’ standard and another with ‘B’ standard. In the past if two entries had to be forwarded then both were expected to attain the ‘A’ standard.

The selection committee decided against fielding a heptathlete though either Soma Biswas or Susmita Singha Roy could have been entered.

Soma has not competed at all this season while Susmita’s current form, especially her 5154 at the Asian championships in Amman was found to be below par.

The athletes who have obtained the qualifying standard and who are being included in the team are:

Men: Joseph Abraham (400m hurdles), Renjith Maheswary (triple jump), Navpreet Singh (shot put) and Vikas Gowda (discus).

Women: Anju George (long jump); Krishna Poonia and Seema Antil (discus); Manjeet Kaur, Mandeep Kaur, Chitra K. Soman, Anu Mariam Jose, Sini Jose and Iylene Samantha (4 x 400m relay).

Anu Mariam’s availability was in some doubt on Monday while Seema’s fitness will be assessed before finally clearing her. The IAAF is expected to bear the expenses of the entire team.