Sreeshankar qualifies for long jump final

EUGENE (USA): Murali Sreeshankar became the first Indian male long jumper to qualify for World Athletics Championships final while 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable also expectedly made the grade on the first day of the competitions here.

Sreeshankar, who had entered the championships as a dark horse for a medal at second spot in the season’s top list, had a best jump of exactly 8m, which he did in his second attempt, to finish second in qualification round Group B and seventh overall.

Two other Indians in the fray, Jeswin Aldrin, who was cleared for the championships despite failing to impress the national selectors in two rounds of trials, and Muhammed Anees Yahiya could not make it to the finals after finishing ninth and 11th in Group A qualification round with best jumps of 7.79m and 7.73m respectively.

Those who achieved 8.15m or the 12 best performers from across the two groups qualify for the finals to be held on Sunday (6:50am IST).