Chance for aspirants to reach qualification mark

JAMSHEDPUR: The big names of Indian athletics would be looking to continue their recent success in the Asian Grand Prix back home in the final stretch of the Indian Grand Prix, which will see its last two legs in the Jharkhand cities of Jamshedpur and Ranchi.

The fourth leg to be held here on Sunday, assumes importance for those athletes who are eyeing a spot in the World Championships in Berlin in August. With the Federation Cup postponed the Indian aspirants would in all likelihood be looking at these two legs to reach the qualification mark

The focus thus will be on the likes of Maha Singh, K.M. Binu, S.K Mortaza, Prakash Verma, Hari Shankar Ray and H.M. Jyoti, all of whom have been performing well.
Bibin pulls out

The JRD Tata Sports Complex with its fine facilities and good hospitality promises to bring the best among the hopefuls. One of the best in the men’s 400m, Bibin Mathew, pulled out owing to the death of his grandfather.

As it was seen in the previous three legs of the GP before the Asian meet, the ones in the run for a place in the World meet have been doing well but falling shy of meeting world standards. The focus now shifts to Mortaza and Binu, the latter being the holder of the National record. With Mathew absent it remains to be seen whether his other two compatriots can overhaul the ‘B’ qualifying mark of 45.95s, for the World championship.

Railways athlete Hari Shankar Roy, has crossed the 2.20m mark in high jump this year. But to book a berth in the World Championship he needs to improve upon his career-best of 2.25m, which is also the National record. The qualifying mark of 2.28m is not beyond his ability but it remains to seen how best Roy makes use of the facilities here.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/07/stories/2009060752561500.htm