Javelin thrower Annu Rani's last attempt throw of 59.60m ensured that she qualified for her second consecutive finals in the World Championships in Eugene on Thursday, July 21. She was on the verge of the end of her campaign after starting with a foul throw and a 55.35m in her second try but sent her spear to 40cm short of 60m in her third and final attempt on the fifth day of competitions. She finished fifth in the Group B qualification round and made it to the finals as eighth best across the two groups.
The 29-year-old national record holder will be disappointed to not touch the 60m mark but now has a chance to make amends in the finals which will take place on Saturday (6:50 am IST). Rani's personal best is 63.82m.
The throwers who touched 62.50m or the best least 12 best performers across the two groups made it to the finals. Only three competitors could get past the automatic qualification mark of 62.50m.
Season leader and USA's Maggie Malone failed to make it to the finals after finishing 12th in Group B and 22nd overall with a best throw of 54.19m. Defending champion Kelsey-Lee Barber of Australia made it to the medal round as the fifth-best performer with her best effort of 61.27m.
Rani has qualified for her second consecutive World Championships finals in her third appearance. She finished eighth in the last edition of the finals with a best throw of 61.12m in Doha. She could not qualify for the finals in 2017 in London after finishing 10th in her qualification group.
The javelin thrower broke her own national record with a throw of 63.82m while winning gold during the Indian Open Javelin Throw Competition in May in Jamshedpur.
In women's 5000m, Parul Chaudhary failed to make it to the semifinals after finishing 17th in heat number 2 and 31st overall with a time of 15:54.03. The 27-year-old has a season's best of 15:39.77 and a personal best of 15:36.03.
Meanwhile, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will compete in the qualification round Group A of the men's javelin throw on Friday (5:35 am IST). Tokyo Games silver medallist Jakub Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic and 2012 London Olympics gold winner Keshorn Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago will be in his group.
Defending champion Anderson Peters of Grenada will compete in the qualification Group B. The final will be held on Sunday.
