Toor disappoints in shot put; Parul, Ankita fail to make it to 5k m finals

Two-time Asian Games gold-medallist shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor could not come anywhere close to his personal best, finishing a dismal 15th in Group A and failed to qualify for the final of the Olympics here on Friday.

Overall, the 29-year-old shot-putter finished 29th.

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A total of 12 athletes meeting the Olympic Qualification Standard of 21.35 or at least the 12 best performers advanced to the final in shot put, which will be held on Sunday.

Toor, one of the most celebrated Indian athletes who defended his 2018 Jakarta Asian Games gold in the Hangzhou edition of the continental games last year, had just one legal throw of 18.05 metres, following which he fouled the next two attempts in his group.

On a day when 5000m runners and Hangzhou Asian Games gold medallist Parul finished overall 24th and Ankita 40th in the heats and failed to qualify for the final round, Toor's insipid performance stood out as the tall thrower as he barely managed to heave the iron ball beyond the 18-metre mark, falling way short of his personal best of 21.77 metres and season's best of 20.38.

Toor, the national record holder, had made it to the Paris Olympics through the world ranking quota.

Toor had complained of pain in his ankle a day before the start of the National Inter-State Championship in Panchkula in June, but still he took part in the event despite not being fully fit.

Italy's Leonardo Fabbri led the field with a best heave of 21.76 metres in a high-quality competition, which saw 11 shot-putters cross the 21-metre mark in a field of 29 athletes.

In women's 5000m, Parul missed her national record time by one-third of a second but that was enough for an overall 24th position as she and Ankita failed to qualify for the final round.

Parul, who holds the national record of 15 minutes 10.35 seconds, clocked 15:10.68 to finish 14th in heat number one while Ankita ended at 20th and last position in heat number one and overall 40th.

Reigning Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon of Kenya topped the qualification round with a time of 14:57.56s, followed by Tokyo Games gold medallist Sifan Hassan (14:57.65s) of the Netherlands. Current 5000m world record holder Gudaf Tsegay of Ethiopia was fifth overall with a time of 14:57.84s.

Only 16 athletes -- first eight in each of the two heats -- advanced to the final round.

Parul is competing in two events at the Paris Olympics. Her pet event is the 3000m steeplechase which she will run on Sunday (heat races).

Parul had qualified for the 5000m race through world ranking quota as she could not breach the direct entry time of 14:52.00s.

Ankita also qualified for the Olympics through world ranking quota and she made the cut at the last minute.