Vikas qualifies with season's best throw

Melbourne, Mar 19 (UNI) Vikas Gowda qualified for the next round with a season's best shot put throw while runner Manjit Kaur made it to the next level after being second among the fastest losers in the athletics competition of the Commonwealth Games here today.

The US-based Vikas, son of former Indian coach Shive Gowda, qualified for the final of the shot put event with a season best throw of 18.37m and Punjab Police official Manjit made it to the women' 400 m semifinal after being second among the nine fast losers.

Vikas, who came into the limelight during the Olympics, did surprisingly well in shot put despite it not being his pet event. He has also entered the discus throw, which is his favourite, and is expected to do well in that.

Twenty-three-year old Vikas failed in his first attempt but then cleared the distance of 17.91m and came up with a season's best throw of 18.37 in his final attempt. The tall and well built Indian was fifth in the field of 15 throwers but the gap between him and the four leaders was way too much.

Australian Scott Martin threw the shot put to 19.64m in his first and only attempt and no body could come near that mark.

South African Janus Robberts cleared the 19.40 mark in his first attempt but failed in his next two, while England's Carl Myercough had a first throw of 18.95 and came up with a 18.94m in his next. He fouled the third attempt.

Jamaica's Dorian Scott was fourth. He had a best throw of 18.90 in his last attempt.

Elsewhere, 24-year-old Manjit Kaur winner of gold in the Incheon Asian Track and Field Meet (ATF) last year timed 53.06 and was placed fourth after the heat in which six runners took part.

The Punjab Police inspector had won gold in Incheon clocking 51.50 but her personal best is 51.05.

If Manjit had repeated her personal best then she would have emerged leader in the field of 32 runners. The top qualifier Hazel Regis of Grenada timed 51.47.

The Indian was very slow off her blocks and was lucky to have finished fourth. She was second among the nine fast losers who qualified along with 15 main qualifiers, three from each heat.

Manjit will have to improve her performance to qualify for the finals. Interestingly Hazel Regis was in the same heat in which Manjit figured.

UNI HSB PM AY VP1313