Vikas attains WC norm

Indian touches 65.25 metres

Discus throw ace Vikas Gowda gave his new season an early sparkle, qualifying for the World Championships with a big hurl in a build-up event in the United States on Thursday night.

Competing in the US Olympic Training Centre invitational meet in San Diego, California, Vikas came up with an effort of 65.25 metres to win the gold.

The throw surpassed the qualifying mark of 65.00 metres for August’s World Championships in Beijing, powering the 31-year-old into the elite list of Indians who already hold the norm for the big bash.

“It feels good to attain the norm early. It eases the pressure somewhat,” said Vikas, who was competing in his third meet of the season. 

He had topped with a 63.88 metre effort at the Mesa Classic in Arizona before coming up with a 63.21M effort a week later in Walnut, California.

The Asian champion will be defending his title at Wuhan, China, in June and his form augurs well for the country. 

“It was a tough field and it feels nice to come out on top but I want to go further and that is the aim,” said the strapping thrower who is also the reigning Commonwealth Games champion.

While defending the Asian gold is one of Vikas’ goals for the summer, another major target is sealing a spot for the Olympic Games in Rio next year. The International Association of Athletics Federations recently released the qualifying standards for Rio, and the discus norm stands at 66.00 metres, a full one-metre more than the World Championships standard.

Vikas wasn’t too pleased about the change. “I don’t know why they keep pushing up the standard for discus,” said Vikas, who set his national record of 66.28 metres three years ago.

Vikas had an injury scare during training but it is healing well, his father Shive Gowda said. “He had hurt his left shoulder but has recovered well,” he said.