Date:21/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/21/stories/2008072152671800.htm

Sport - Athletics

Sinimole fails to qualify

NEW DELHI: Sinimole Paulose failed to get the Olympic standard in the women’s 1500 metres as she won the ‘B’ race in 4:19.66 in the BMC Nike Grand Prix at Stretford, Manchester, on Saturday. The Olympic norm stands at 4:08.00.

Sushma Devi won the women’s ‘A’ race in the 800 metres, though her time of 2:04.78 was also off the Olympic qualification mark of 2:01.30.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) which put up this information on Sunday on its website, did not disclose the results of the men’s races where Sajeesh Joseph and Rjeev Ramesan (800m) and Chatholi Hamza (1500m) were expected to compete.

The team is returning to India after its 51-day stay in England that was primarily meant to help the runners qualify for the Olympics. Surendra Singh and Preeja Sreedharan had earlier made the grade in the 10,000 metres in men and women’s sections and had returned home. None from the middle distance batch, however, gained a norm.