JOIN USLalita, a breath of fresh air
Lalita Babar brought a whiff of fresh air to the stagnant Indian athletics scene at the Olympic Games on Saturday, becoming the first Indian to enter the final here with a national record breaking performance in the 3000M steeplechase.
The worth of Indian performances in the qualifying phase had come under question after a clutch of athletes fell miserably in the first round on Friday. Lalita, though, showed there was some zeal and steel still left in the ranks with a heart-warming run.
Lalita is the first Indian to enter the final of an individual track event since P T Usha (400M hurdles) in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 27-year-old from Maharashtra came fourth in her heat in a superb 9:19.76, battling it out with the big girls in a bold manner. Her time was more than six seconds better than the national record of 9:26.55, set by Sudha Singh at the Diamond League in Shanghai in May.
“I didn’t expect such a good time,” said a delighted Lalita who suffered bruises after hitting her knee and hand against the hurdle early in the race. “It’s hurting, but it’s okay. Now that I have qualified, I will try to do even better in the final. The coach (Nikolai Snesarev) had urged me to do well as none of the Indians had made it to the final here.
So I was determined to do well, and I am happy to have set the national record.”
Lalita had finished eighth in the World Championships last year, after setting national record of 9:27.86 in the heats. She improved it to 9:27.09 earlier this year but Sudha grabbed it with her 9:26.55 in Shanghai. On Friday, with the first three in each of the three heats and the next six fastest qualifying for the final, Lalita easily made it thanks to her excellent time.
Lalita ran a well-planned race, staying with the leaders and even taking the lead past the half-way point. American Emma Coburn and Tunisia’s Habiba Ghribi then overtook the Indian and with 200 metres left, Kenya’s Beatrice Chepkoech surged into the lead. Lalita, however, did well to hold on to her fourth place, sprinting nicely to the finish. Overall, her time was the seventh best among the qualifiers, led by Ruth Chebet of Bahrain in 9:12.62. Sudha, meanwhile, came ninth in her heat in 9:43.29. Overall, she was 30th.
Also on Friday morning, Nirmala Sheoran crashed out in the 400M first round, ending sixth in her heat in a poor 53.03 seconds, compared to her season’s best of 51.38.
Ankit flops
In the long jump qualification on Friday night, Ankit Sharma, who had set a stunning 8.19M national record in June, flopped with a 7.67 to bow out.
Ankit fouled his first two tries, overstepping big time in the second, before managing to hit the board correctly. The outcome was well short of the qualifying mark for the finals though.
Mohd Anas did better in the 400M first round, though he failed to progress. Anas, the national record holder at 45.40 seconds, finished sixth in his heat in 45.95.