India's Kamalpreet storms into discus throw finals at Tokyo

DISCUS THROWER Kamalpreet Kaur produced one of the best performances by an Indian in the Olympics, though in a qualifying round, as she made it to the finals of the ongoing Games after finishing second on Saturday (31).

The 25-year-old Kaur, competing in qualification B, sent the discus to a distance of 64m in her third and final attempt to be one of the only two automatic qualifiers for the final round, the other being American Valarie Allman (66.42m).

The final will held on August 2.

The Indian ended ahead of defending gold-medallist Sandra Perkovic (63.75m) of Croatia and reigning world champion Yaime Perez (63.18) of Cuba. Perkovic qualified at third and Perez at seventh.

While veteran Seema Punia made an exit after finishing sixth in qualification A and 16th overall with a below-par best throw of 60.57m.

Kaur began with a 60.29m effort and then improved it to 63.97m before her third throw of 64m. Every competitor gets three throws.

Those who touch 64m or at least 12 best performers in the two qualifying rounds advance to the final.

The Punjab athlete has been in impressive form this year as she breached the 65m mark twice recently.

She threw 65.06m during the Federation Cup in March to break the national record and become the first Indian to breach the 65m mark.

Then in June, she bettered her own national record with a throw of 66.59m during the Indian Grand Prix-4 to sit at world number six.

Season leader Jorinde van Klinken of Netherlands failed to make the final round cut with a modest throw of 61.15m.

She has a season's best of 70.22m while Allman is second best this year at 70.01m.

Punia, who had booked a last minute Olympics berth, was way below her season and personal best marks.

She fouled her first throw and had 60.57m and 58.93m in her next two attempts to make an exit from what would be her last Olympics.

(PTI)