NEW DELHI: India’s lone medallist at World Athletics Championships Anju Bobby George said on Monday that the country has no chance of winning a medal at the London Olympics track and field events.
Anju, who won a bronze in the women’s long jump in the 2003 World Championships in Paris, tipped discus throwers Vikas Gowda and Krishna Poonia as outside contenders for a podium finish.
“I don’t want to discourage the athletes but we don’t have any chance. None of the athletes have come close to an Olympic medal winning performance this year,” Anju said.
“Vikas Gowda and Krishna Poonia should reach the final round but they can win a medal only if they perform better than their personal best.
Krishna has to throw beyond 65m if she wants a medal and Vikas 70m to get a medal,” said 35-year-old Anju.
Gowda and Poonia rewrote national records in the build-up to the Olympics with throws of 66.28m and 64.76m, respectively and they are considered the best medal bets for the country in athletics in London.
Asked about the chances of Mayookha Johny who qualified for London Olympics in triple jump, Anju said, “I don’t think Mayookha can even qualify for the final round.
Even a 14.20m will not put her in the top 16. Her best is 14.11m and that also she has not been consistent at that.
She needs more speed and her techniques are not so good. In long jump, she has changed her technique from swing jump to cyclic jump recently, she should have done much earlier,” she said.