Asian Games 2018: Javelin thrower Annu Rani gets green signal to fly to Indonesia after good performance in Railways Meet

New Delhi: Javelin thrower Annu Rani, who was initially dropped from the Asian Games team after a confirmatory trial, has been cleared by the selection committee of the Athletics Federation of India on the basis of her performance in the Railways Meet in Lucknow. Rani, who won a bronze in the 2014 Asiad, could not qualify for the Asian Games during the National Inter-State Championships in Guwahati in June but was given another chance by asking her to appear for a confirmatory trial on 15 August at the NIS Patiala. [caption id=“attachment_2800972” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] But in that confirmatory trial also, Rani could not touch the 59m mark set by the AFI for Asian Games qualification as she reportedly threw the spear to below 58m. The AFI announced her exclusion from the Asian Games team, along with that of 1500m runner Monika Chaudhary on 17 August. Two days later (19 August), Rani threw 58.17m to win gold at the All India Rialways Athletics Championships in Lucknow. “Since 58.17m was not that far below from 59m which is the qualifying standard, the AFI selection committee decided to clear Annu for the Asian Games. So she has reached Jakarta yesterday,” a source close to the athlete told PTI. Rani has her event on 28 August. Menawhile, shot putter Naveen Chikara, who also underwent a confirmatory trial, has been dropped from the team after being given another chance on August 21. He first appeared for a confirmatory trial at NIS Patiala on August 15 but his performance was found to be not satisfactory. He was given another chance in a re-trial at the JLN Stadium here on 21 August but in that also he was not up to the mark and the AFI selection committee decided to drop him. Shot put final in the Asian Games is scheduled for tomorrow and only Tajinderpal Singh Toor will represent India.