Four Kerala athletes made the cut for the Hangzhou Asian Games at the 62nd National Inter-state Senior Athletics Chmapionship in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

Triple Jumper Sheena N V finished first in the event with 13.60m, which was 2 centimetres better than the Asian Games qualifying mark.

Two men's quartermilers, Muhammed Anas Yahiya and Muhammed Ajmal V of Kerala, also ensured qualification with impressive timings in the semifinals of men's 400m.

Ajmal clocked 45.51 seconds while Anas was placed second in the semifinal heat with 45.63 seconds. The Asian Games qualifying mark for the event was 46.17 seconds.

Another Keralite, Mohammed Afsal, clocked 1:47.47 in men's 800m to earn his qualification. The cut was 1:49.05.

Meanwhile, seasoned campaigner Srabani Nanda of Odisha topped the time chart among those who made it to the women's 100m final, clocking 11.69 seconds in the semifinal heats.

Jyothi Yarraji, who specialises in 100m hurdles, also made it to the 100m dash final with a time of 11.72s.

Kerala's Mareena George, who was allowed to participate in the championship after an interim order of the Appeals Panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency late on Thursday, could not make it to the seven-event heptathlon for which 100m hurdles and high jump were held in the morning session.
(With PTI inputs)

TAGS