Tintu Luka Books Rio Berth But Fails To Qualify for SF at Worlds

PT Usha’s prodigy clocked 2:00.95s. Though it was not enough for a spot in the SF, it earned her a berth at Rio 2016

India’s Tintu Lukka, right, Ukraine’s Natalia Lupu, middle, and Britain’s Lynsey Sharp compete in a women’s 800m round one heat at the World Athletics Championships. (Photo: AP)

Indian runner Tintu Luka has crashed out in the first round heats of the women’s 800m race in the World Athletics Championships on Wednesday.

However, despite finishing a disappointing seventh in her qualifier, PT Usha’s prodigy has booked a berth for herself at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a season-best effort.

The 26-year-old, the reigning Asian champion and national record holder, clocked her season’s best of 2:00.95s to finish seventh in the first of the six heats, where only the top three and the next six fastest times qualify for the semifinals.

Tintu Luka during her women’s 800m heat at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: Reuters)

As is her wont, Luka led the eight-woman field in the opening lap with a fast 57.06secs time but ran out of steam when it came to the final push.

Six runners ran past her in the last 200 meters as the Indian burnt herself out in a repeat scenario of so many of her races at the international stage.

Luka was also a bit unlucky as she was pitted in a more competitive heat as the three top finishers in heat numbers four and five clocked worse times than the Indian but they still advanced to the semifinals.

It was Tintu’s second appearance in the World Championships. She was a semifinalist at Daegu, South Korea in 2011.