Asian Games 2018: Annu Rani, Monika Chaudhary ruled out after below-par trials

Image Courtesy: Reuters

Javelin thrower Annu Rani and 1500m athlete Monika Chaudhary were ruled out of the 2018 Asian Games.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday decided to drop the two athletes after their below-par performance in the confirmatory trials. 

A selection committee, which met under the chairmanship of Olympian GS Randhawa at the AFI office on Friday, found the trial results unsatisfactory.  

"Annu Rani and Monika Chaudhary were not selected as their performance in the confirmatory trials were not found to be satisfactory by the selection committee," said CK Valson, AFI secretary. 

The confirmatory trials, called by the AFI, were held at different venues on August 15.

The selection committee also asked shot putter Naveen Chikara, who was scheduled to travel to Jakarta on Friday, to stay back and attempt one more trial on August 20. 

Anu Raghavan, currently camping in the Czech Republic, clocked 57.43 seconds in 400m hurdles in the confirmatory trials to seal her spot for the Asian Games. Sarita Gaikwad, part of Indian Women’s 4x400m relay team, clocked 57.45 seconds in 400m hurdles trials. The qualifying mark set by AFI was 57.52s. 

The other track and field athletes who cleared the qualifying mark were, B Chetan (high jump), Sandeep Kumar (50 km race walk), Nayana James and Neena Pintoo ( long jump), Jauna Murmu (400m hurdles), Nirmala (400m) and Sandeep Kumari (Discus throw). 

(With PTI inputs)