CHENNAI: None of the three athletes who had trials conducted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to qualify for the World Championships in Oregon has met the selection criteria.
The AFI has said that none of them met the standard and have not yet made the team including Arokia Rajiv, who was listed as a substitute to the injured, quarter-miler Amoj Jacob. Monday was the last day of confirmation for athletes for the Oregon event.
Long jumper Jeswin Aldrin, who had a best of 8.26m (excluding the wind-assisted jump of 8.37m) this year, too did not cross the eight-metre mark. His best on Monday was 7.99m. Aishwarya Mishra, who had a stunning 51.18 second at the Federation Cup in April, too had a modest timing. According to reports she clocked 53.15s.
At the inter-state athletics championship, she was disqualified in the 400m. Aldrin also had a modest outing in inter-state in Chennai where he managed just 7.71m and the AFI qualification standard was listed at 8.10m during the trials.
In the case of Rajiv, who was supposed to replace Amoj Jacob (injured during the inter-state athletics in Chennai), it was worse, as he managed 47.89s.
According to the AFI, all the athletes don't qualify for the Worlds, but they will give them one more opportunity on July 8.
AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said that they will be given one more opportunity along with the trials for junior athletes in Patiala. "We don't want to deny them an opportunity to qualify and they are welcome to take one more trial," he said.
According to Sumariwalla, the athletes did perform well. Even Arokia, who was to replace Jacob, will not be considered for the time being. "He has run 47+ seconds, which is what our top junior athletes run," he said.
"We cannot justify taking him. More than a dozen ran below 47s at the inter-state athletics in 400m. He has to run below 47 at least. Same with the case of Aishwarya. She could have run below 53s at least. Even Jeswin. But we will give them one more opportunity. If they want they can take trials on July 8 and compete against our junior athletes," he added.