Indian contingent for Beijing
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Chitra K. Soman was born on 10 July in the year 1983. She is an Indian sprinter who also specializes in the 400 metres. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Soman finished seventh in 4 x 400 metres relay together with associates Satti Geetha, K. M. Beenamol and Rajwinder. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Soman also ran for the Indian team. She has also won a silver medal. In June 2004 at Chennai, Chitra K. Soman achieved her personal best time in 400 m, which is 51.30 seconds.
Indian contingent for Beijing
NEW DELHI: In the absence of the hockey team for the first time in the country’s Olympic campaign, the Indian contingent for the Beijing Games has shrunk to 57 athletes, including 17 from track and field spearheaded by long-jumper Anju Bobby George.
India had fielded 75 athletes in the last edition in Athens.
The team: Archery: Dola Banerjee, Pranitha Vardhineni, Bombayala Devi, Mangal Singh Champia. Athletics: Anju Bobby George, Krishna Poonia, Harwant Kaur, Preeja Sreedharan, Manjeet Kaur, Chitra K. Soman, Sini Jose. M.R. Poovamma, Mandeep Kaur, J.J. Shoba, Susmita Singha Roy, G.G. Pramila, Vikas Gowda, Renjith Maheswary, Surendra Singh, K. Mridula, S. Geetha. Badminton: Anup Sridhar, Saina Nehwal. Boxing: Jitender, Akhil Kumar, A.L. Lakra, Vijender, Dinesh Kumar. Judo: Khumujam Tombi Devi, Divya. Rowing: Bajrang Lal Thakar, Devender Kumar Khandwal, Manjeet Singh. Shooting: Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Mansher Singh, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Gagan Narang, Abhinav Bindra, Samaresh Jung, Sanjeev Rajput, Anjali Bhagwat, Avneet Kaur Sidhu. Swimming: Virdhawal Khade, Ankur Poseria, Sandeep Sejwal, Rehan Poncha. Table tennis: Sharath Kamal, Neha Agarwal. Tennis: Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Sania Mirza, Sunitha Rao. Wrestling: Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, Rajeev Tomar. Weightlifting: L. Monika Devi. Yachting: N.S. Johal. — Special Correspondent
The team of Chitra K. Soman, Raja M. Pooyamma, Mandeep Kaur and S. Geetha ensured that they are among the World’s top 16 teams which will run in Beijing Olympics this August.
They were followed by China (3:29.75s) and Thailand (3:38.76s) on the second and third sport respectively.
Indian team had finished on seventh place in Athens Olympics in 2004 and since then, the team was on the winning spree on the continental level with title at Asian Games 2006, Asian Championships 2007 and silver in Commonwealth Games 2006.
Slowdown in timing in 2007 raised doubt over team’s performance but it was largely due to transition of runners from junior to senior level.
Emergence of Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose and consistent performance from Chitra Soman brought back the team in winning gear in 2008.
National record holder Manjit Kaur who attained B qualification in Yalta got injured during Madurai Nationals and the June 26 race was without Manjit but still the team managed to register best timings since Athens 2004.
As per Olympic qualification rule, average of two best performances of 2007 and 2008 will be considered and with the June 26 performance India’s average is 3:30.42s (3:32.55s in Bangkok and 3:28.20s in Korat) which still place India on 14th place in World top 16 teams. It’s now better than 14th placed Italy team. (PTI)
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