The Indian Grand Prix 1 in Bengaluru’s Sree Kanteerava Stadium marked the commencement of the domestic athletics season, but the performances fell short of expectations for athletes aiming to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Despite the lowkey performances, the season is still in its early stages, and athletes have five more AFI-sanctioned events to meet the June 30 deadline for Paris qualification. Among those hoping to improve their performances are jumpers Shaili Singh, Eldhose Paul, Praveen Chithravel, and Abdulla Aboobacker.
Shaili Singh, the women’s long jump hopeful, won in Bengaluru with an opening jump of 6.52m, but it fell short of the automatic qualification mark of 6.86m. She has struggled to find consistency at the senior level, despite flashes of brilliance.
In the men’s triple jump, Commonwealth Games champion Eldhose Paul and Asian Games bronze medalist Praveen Chithravel failed to breach the Paris qualifying mark of 17.22m. Chithravel, who has crossed 17m this year, remains India’s best hope in the event.
Other Indian athletes yet to qualify for Paris include javelin thrower Annu Rani and 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji. Rani, who won gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games, has been training in Europe under the guidance of Werner Daniels. Yarraji, a serial national record breaker, is likely to qualify on rankings, as she is currently 18th on the ‘Road to Paris’ list.
With the qualification clock ticking, Indian athletes will be looking to raise their performances in the upcoming events and secure their spots at the Paris Olympics.
