Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 29

Discus thrower Seema Punia was in tears after qualifying for her fourth Olympic Games. Seema’s best throw of 63.72 metres on the last day of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships here this evening earned her a ticket for the Tokyo Games.

However, star sprinter Hima Das, who suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday during the women’s 100m heats, is set to miss Olympics — her last hope was being part of the women’s 4x100m relay team, but the team tonight clocked 44.15 seconds, outside the qualifying standard of 43.03s.

Seema’s joy

After failing to clear the qualifying mark of 63.5m at the Belarus Open last Friday, the 37-year-old checked in at a hotel in Patiala late on Saturday night.

“I did not sleep at night. I had palpitations. The next day (June 27) I got an opportunity to train a little bit and I attempted a few throws,” Seema said.

Seema said she was proud that she won the quota in India and in front of her critics. “I was waiting for this throw I don’t know for how long. My critics have all these years been saying that she stays outside, competes outside and gets the qualification standard outside the country. Believe me, my only wish has been to win a qualification in India,” said Seema.

“The only man who has supported me since my early years is Lalit Bhanot... Others have only one thing to say — ‘she is finished’,” she added.

Seema, who has represented India at the Athens, London and Rio de Janeiro Olympics, registered a throw of 63.15m on the third attempt before clinching a quota with 63.72m on her fourth throw. It is a new meet record.

Interestingly, the Sonepat native said she has started to control her nutrition intake and that has resulted in her new and leaner avatar.

“I have just concentrated on my nutrition during the lockdown. I completed an online course in nutrition and I know that I need only 2,000 calories a day,” she explained.

Hima finishes last

Hima, clearly hampered by her injury, was nowhere near her best as finished last in the women’s 200m. Hima finished with a time of 25.03 seconds in a race won by PD Anjali of Kerala in 24.01s.

Hima was desperately trying to chase the mark of 22.80s to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Lovepreet Singh of Punjab won the men’s 200m sprint in 21.04 seconds.

Shivpal disappoints

Tokyo-bound javelin thrower Shivpal Singh had an off day as he failed to register a single throw beyond the 80m mark in the final. Rohit Yadav upstaged Shivpal for the gold medal. Rohit’s best throw of 77.74m was good enough for gold, while Shivpal finished second with 77.31m in his third attempt. Sri Lanka’s Sumedha Ranasinghe finished third in 77.28m.

Test Kamalpreet: Seema to AFI

Seema Punia (in pic) has asked the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to get Kamalpreet Kaur checked for a suspected case of hyperandrogenism. Seema has sent a mail to AFI saying that Kamalpreet’s throw of 66.59m, which was registered at the Indian Grand Prix on June 21, is not ‘normal’. “Today I have lodged a protest against Kamalpreet Kaur. Her throw of over 66m is not normal. I have requested SAI and the federation to get her tested for hormones. We will not be able to compete against such opponents who are 10 times over the testosterone limit of girls,” Seema said.