Athletics World Championships | Annu Rani finishes eighth in javelin final; Avinash Sable makes it to 3000m steeplechase final
India’s Annu Rani failed to repeat her remarkable qualifying round form where she smashed her own national record as she finished eighth in the women’s javelin throw. While Avinash Sable made it to the men’s 3000m steeplechase finals after AFI’s appeal was upheld in Doha on Tuesday.
India’s Annu Rani finished eighth out of the 12 participants in the finals of the women’s javelin throw. Annu, who on Monday beat her own national record with a 62.43m throw, could only produce a best of 61.12m in the final round of the competition on Tuesday. The 27-year-old opened with a 59.25m before coming up with efforts of 61.12m and 60.20m which placed her among the top eight and gave her three more throws. However, she could not improve upon her second-round bid of 61.12m, as she came up with 60.40m, 58.49m and 57.93m, to finish at eighth.
Kelsey Lee Barber, 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, won the gold with a final round throw of a massive 66.56m while the Chinese duo of Asian Games champion Liu Shiying and Asian champion Lyu Huihui took the silver and bronze with efforts close behind of 65.88m and 65.49m respectively.
Annu, however, would bow out with her head held high as she had become the first Indian woman to reach the javelin throw final in the World Championships.
Earlier, another national record holder Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase) became the first Indian man to qualify for a track event final in the World Championships under dramatic circumstances after an appeal by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) was upheld by the IAAF.
He initially failed to make the cut despite bettering his own national record clocking in at 8 minutes 25.23 seconds in an eventful first round heat where he finished seventh. He was later included among the men’s 3000m steeplechase finalists after the AFI protested that he was obstructed by other athletes during the race. Sable was involved in two incidents during the race that blocked his path and thereby slowing him down for no fault of his.
The AFI later filed an appeal, with the request that he be advanced to the final round, claiming that Sable was obstructed by other athletes during the race.
Sable was included for the final after the race referee examined the video footage and agreed that Sable was significantly obstructed on two occasions. India’s protest was accepted and under Rule 163.2 (Obstruction).
“We filed an appeal and we have got a favourable decision. So, Avinash will be in the final, he has been included among the finalists,” said AFI Planning Commission Chairman to the PTI.
The IAAF confirmed Avinash’s qualification for the final by including him among the finalists in the official results. There was no change in his position but he has been added as the 16th competitor for the final race to be run on Friday. The top three in each of the three heats and the next six fastest qualify for the final race.
Both incidents were triggered by reigning junior world champion Takele Nigate of Ethiopia. First, Sable had to jump over another competitor as four-five athletes at the rear fell over each other. Following this, midway during the race, Nigate bumped into an obstacle just in front of Sable. The Indian had to virtually climb up the obstacle as he was blocked by the Ethiopian, thereby losing crucial time.
Despite slowing down due to the two incidents, the 24-year-old Sable ran more than three seconds faster than his earlier national record of 8:28.94 which he had clocked in March this year during the Federation Cup.
