The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced that athletes who narrowly missed the Commonwealth Games qualifying mark during the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition in Ranchi (May 22–25) will get another opportunity at the Ludhiana leg of the Indian Athletics Series on June 13. This decision comes after several athletes fell short of the qualifying standards set by the AFI.
Missed Marks by Narrow Margins
Among those affected are Ancy Sojan, Vishal TK, and Animesh Kujur. Ancy missed the women’s long jump qualifying mark by just 9 cm, Vishal fell short by 0.02 seconds in the men’s 400m, and Animesh was 0.03 seconds off the qualifying standard in the men’s 200m. Additionally, none of the men’s javelin throwers managed to cross the qualifying mark of 82.61m on the final day in Ranchi, making this a crucial opportunity for them.
AFI’s Decision and Conditions
Adille Sumariwalla, chairman of the AFI Selection Committee, explained the rationale: “AFI is giving eligible athletes another chance to achieve CWG qualification standards in their respective events. This is because several athletes narrowly missed the AFI qualification criteria at the just concluded 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition in Ranchi.” However, there is a caveat: performances at the Indian Athletics Series in Ludhiana will only be considered for selection if the athletes had competed in the four-day meet in Ranchi.
According to Sumariwalla, athletes had written to the AFI stating that unfavorable weather conditions, particularly on the concluding day, hindered their best performances. “After due deliberation, the members of the AFI Selection Committee unanimously agreed to give another platform to athletes to achieve the qualification mark,” the World Athletics vice-president said in a release. While long-distance runners struggled with heat during mornings, strong winds on the final evening may have impacted performances in several events.
Unchanged Selection Guidelines
The AFI’s CWG selection guidelines will remain unchanged. “The opportunity will be given to athletes in events in which they were close to the qualification marks in Ranchi,” Sumariwalla added. Among others who narrowly missed the mark is Krishna Jayasankar, who won the women’s shot put with a throw of 17.35m, just 27 cm short of the CWG mark of 17.62m. She also took bronze in the discus (55.00m) and is likely to have another shot, with the qualification standard set at 56.85m.
Existing Qualifiers
Athletes who have already achieved the CWG qualification mark in Ranchi will remain qualified. “However, if they wish to participate in Ludhiana, they can take part,” Sumariwalla said. This decision is likely to bring relief to many athletes, and the athlete-friendly move was praised by Tejaswin Shankar after winning gold in Ranchi.
Stay updated with IPL Live Score and the latest IPL news on Times of India. Follow the IPL schedule and track the race for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
