Ace high-jumper Bobby Aloysious and sprinter P Anil Kumar won gold medals but failed to set new marks as the country's leading athletes turned in disappointing performances in the second National athletics circuit meet in Bangalore on Thursday.
Aloysious, representing Tamil Nadu, could clear only 1.80 metres, below her best of 1.90, at the Sree Kanteerava stadium.
A better performance was expected from the Kerala girl, especially after her silver medal-winning feat of 1.84 metres at the recent British Super League athletics meet in Manchester, and the 1.88 metres which fetched her the silver medal at the Asian Games in Busan.
Bobby Aloysious interview: 'I must jump 1.92 metres this year'
She had her task cut out as she needed a 1.92 metres effort to clinch a berth in the World championships in Paris next month. However, luck did not smile on her today.
Aloysious, who returned to the country only a few days ago, said she had some problem adjusting to the weather.
In the men's 100 metres, Anil Kumar from Services clocked 10.40 seconds to bag the top honours. His best timing, is 10.33 seconds, the national record.
Kumar said he developed slight pain in the right hamstring after 80 metres of the race which slowed him down a bit.
His Services mate Sanjay Ghosh took the silver in 10.50 seconds, while Karnataka's Mohd Mudassir finished third in 10.57.19 seconds, ahead of Tamil Nadu's C T Durai (10.57.43).
The winner of the first leg at Nagercoil, Sandeep Sarkaria of Delhi, finished fifth in 10.59.15 seconds.
Seasoned campaigner Neelam J Singh of Punjab, as anticipated, won the gold medal in the women's discus throw with a heave of 58.95 metres, much below her best of 64.55.
