Youth Olympic Qualifiers - Walker Neena disappoints on day-2 Bangkok, 22 May 2014: Kerala race walker K.T. Neena, who recently improved her national youth record to 24:11.70 (for 5,000m) at Goa youth nationals, finished a disappointing fourth in the Asian Area Qualification competition in Thai capital this morning. Neena timed a slow 26:14.78 whereas Chinas Ma Zhenxia won the title in 23:59.22. Japans Matsumoto Sayori (24:13.13) and another chinese walker Cun Hailu (24:29.29) have finished ahead of Neena at Thammasat Stadium. The qualification for Youth Olympic Games (to be held at Nanjing in August) is a complex system with quota allotted to each continental area per event based on the performance of Top-8 athletes from those area in the last two World Youth Athletics Championships (held in 2011 and 2013). Normally the host country (this time China) will have two wild-card entries. Further unutilised quota from other area will be made available to the host continent (this time Asia). Hence we have to wait and see how many Indians get through in this years qualification procedure!
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 03:01:28 +0000