KATHMANDU, Nov 10: Nepali runner Hari Kumar Rimal qualified for the final round of 1500 meters during the 18th Asian Athletics Championship on Tuesday. [break]
Four Nepali athletes are participating in the championship being held in the Chinese city Guangzhou from Tuesday. However, other three athletes put up a poor performance in the events.
Hari clocked 3 minutes 50.76 seconds to complete 1500 meters, while he was sprinting in heat 2 of the event. Runners of Japan, Tajikistan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan and Jordan were left behind by Hari.
Hari improved his individual performance in Guangzhou. Earlier, his best timing was 3 minutes 55 seconds. The national record in this event is under the belt of Gop Bahadur Adhikari with the timing of 3 minute 46 seconds.
Hari will also contest in the 3000 meters steeple chase in the Championship.
Rest of the Nepali athletes -- Tilak Ram Mahato, Keshari Chaudhary and Pramila Rijal -- could not cross the heat round. Tilak clocked 11.52 seconds in 100 meters sprint. He had the timing of 10.75 seconds in the 11th SAG selection but could not continue the streak in Guangzhou. He will contest in 200 meters.
Likewise, Keshari clocked 13.68 seconds for 100 meters dash. Keshari had the better timing of 12.60 seconds in the Fifth National Games. She was last in the heat. She will contest in triple jump.
Pramila Rijal, the sensation of the Fifth National Games, was also ineffective in 400 meters race. Pramila completed the heat in 1 minute 0.47 seconds and was in the last position. There is the national record of 59.6 seconds in her name. She is due to contest in 200 meters in Guangzhou.