World Athletics Championships 2022: Annu Rani enters medal round as Parul Chaudhary fades away in 5000m

India’s javelin thrower Annu Rani qualified for the medal round at the World Athletics Championships 2022. However, distance runner Parul Chaudhary’s hope of making women’s 5000m final were dashed on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon.

Clubbed in Group B of the women’s qualification round, Annu wasn’t satisfied with her performance at the World Athletics Championships 2022.

“It’s good I have qualified for the final scheduled to be held on Friday, but the overall performance wasn’t on expected line,” the-29-year-old Indian thrower said during an interaction.

Annu’s best throw in the qualification round was 59.60m. The automatic qualification mark is 62.50m and the 12 best throwers qualify for the medal round. By virtue of being in top 12, the Indian throw entered the final.

Annu’s season-best this season is 63.82m. Moreover, she has a couple of 60m-plus throws under her belt this season.

“I am fitter than I was in 2021. I was expecting a better result in qualification, but couldn’t do it due to a lack of proper warm up,” she said.

Three athletes, including Japan's Haruka Kitaguchi, achieved an automatic qualification mark of 62.50m during the qualification round. The Japanese led the field with a throw of 64.32m. The Indian thrower was ranked eighth in the field of 12 throwers.

Parul Chaudhary falters at the 2022 World Athletics Championships

Parul is the fourth Indian athlete, who couldn’t adapt to the heat in Eugene, Oregon.

“It was pretty hot Wednesday evening and I wasn’t able to cope up with the bright summer sun,” she told Sportskeeda after finishing a disappointing 31st in the field of 35 athletes.

Her finishing time was 15:54.03, which was far off from her personal best of 15: 36.03 seconds clocked in 2019 in Doha.

Ethiopia's world 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey led the women’s 5000m qualification round with a time of 14:52.27 seconds. The top five in each of the two heats and five fastest runners qualified for the finals.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) appointed Scott Simmons from the USA, who is overseeing the Indian distance running camp. When asked whether Simmons' coaching program has been beneficial since March this year, Parul said it will pay off in the long run.

“I didn’t qualify for either the 3000m steeplechase or the 5000m event in Eugene, but will perform better next year,” Parul said.