How can Praveen Chithravel still qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Praveen Chithravel delivered an impressive performance in the triple jump event at the Indian Grand Prix 1 on Wednesday (May 1).
Chithravel beat Commonwealth Games champion Eldhose Paul with a jump of 17.12m. Paul finished the event winning a silver medal with a 16.29m leap.
However, the Indian triple jumper missed the Paris 2024 Olympics qualification mark of 17.22m. Certainly, the 22-year-old came agonizingly close to making it to the big-ticket event.
However, Chithravel can still be part of the Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics if he can breach the qualification mark at the upcoming Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar. The Odisha government and Odisha Athletics Association will host a crucial tournament at Kalinga Stadium from May 12 to 15.
Notably, Chithravel is the national record-holder in the men’s triple jump at 17.37m but has missed the Paris Olympics qualification mark since July 2023. The talented athlete is currently ranked 24th in the Road to Paris rankings.
Moreover, he recorded a jump of 16.68m and won a bronze medal in the men's triple jump event in Asian Games 2023. It will be interesting to see if the youngster can qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Other athletes who missed Paris 2024 Olympics qualification mark
Shaili Singh, a World U20 Championships silver medallist, secured gold in the women's long jump with a leap of 6.52m in Indian Grand Prix 1. Nayana James, the two-time national champion, clinched a silver medal with a jump of 6.44m.
Interestingly, Nayana had beaten Shaili at the Indian Open last month. However, both athletes are yet to breach the Paris 2024 Olympics qualification mark of 6.86m.
Meanwhile, Manu DP won the gold medal with an 81.91m throw in the men's javelin event. He also missed the qualification mark of 85.50m. The likes of Neeraj Chopra and Kishore Jena did not compete in the event, having already achieved the entry standard of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Hima Das, who was cleared by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) last month, pulled out of the women’s 200m race and registered a DNF. This was Hima's first competitive race since March last year. Andhra Pradesh's Chelimi secured a gold medal, by finishing the race in 23.92 seconds.