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| Saturday, 30 August 2003 |
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Susanthika likely to miss Asian Grand Prix Dinesh Weerawansa reporting from France PARIS, Thursday, Sri Lanka sprint queen Susanthika Jayasinghe, having skipped the current IAAF World Championships here due to a hamstring injury and being already ruled out of next month's Asian 15th Championships in Manila, would face the danger of missing out a place in the 2004 Asian Grand Prix Series. However, Sri Lankan athletic officials have already taken steps to present the case to the Asian Athletic Association, on behalf of Jayasinghe. Asia's elite athletes for the 2004 Asian Grand Prix Series, which comprise four meets in Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, would be picked based on their top performances at the World Championships and Asian Championships. Since Jayasinghe has not taken part in any of these meets, she would not find a place in next year's Asian Grand Prix series. Though Jayasinghe took part in the 9th IAAF World Championships here in Stade de France, she ran just 30m before pulling out due to a left hamstring problem during women's 100m quarter finals a week ago. Sri Lanka athletic officials are in touch with the Asian Track and Field governing body to find a place for the 27-year-old Olympic medallist. President of the Athletic Association of Sri Lanka, Sunil Jayaweera and Secretary Prema Pinnawale have already spoken to the Secretary of the Asian AA, Maurice Nicholas regarding the chances of including Jayasinghe for women's 100m and 200m. Unlike in last year's inaugural Asian Grand Prix series, 2004 second year meets would have women's 100m, 200m and 400m. Last year's series did not have women's 200m - the pet event of Jayasinghe in which she has won medals at World Championship (1997) and Olympic (2000) level. Sri Lanka expects a favourable reply from the Asian AA regarding the inclusion of Jayasinghe, though only the medallists at each event of the upcoming Asian Championships in the Philippines are eligible for the 2004 Asian Grand Prix series which begins on June 19. Sri Lankans focus their attention mostly on Jayasinghe's - women's 200m. This event had its semi-finals of the IAAF World Championships at the Stade de France here last night. But to the bad luck of all Lankans and our media team here, Jayasinghe was not to be seen in action as she is being ruled out of action for over a month to nurse her injury. Not only Jayasinghe but the super woman admired by most athletic fans - Marion Jones too was not on the blocks as she spends the latter part of her year-long break to have her first baby. Nevertheless, the excitement was at its very best as the last 16 women's 200m sprinters battled out for a place in the final. The 100m gold medallist Kelli White looks set for a back to back gold as she won the first semi-final, returning a timing of 22.50. In the second place was Zhanna Pintusevich Block (22.61) and her Ukranian team mate Anzhela Kravchenko (22.66). Hosts France is dreaming for fourth medal at the 203-nation meet as Muriel Hurtis won an exciting women's 200m second semi-final clocking a season's best 22.41 seconds. Russian Anastasia Kapachinskaya had a personal best of 22.43 to finish closely behind at second, ahead of American Torri Edwards (22.44). There was a new World record in women's 200m for blind athletes. Brazil's Adria Rocha Santos clocked 25.22 seconds to win the gold medal with a new World record. |
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