One of India’s greatest Olympians, Anju Bobby George, hopes history can be made at the Tokyo Games on Monday August 2nd as she confirms Kamalpreeet Kaur’s chances of making the podium.
Kamalpreet Kaur, who stormed into the limelight in June with her national record throw of 66.59 m, stunned the field in the women’s discus throw and became just one of the two athletes to reach the automatic qualification mark of 64 m last week.
Kamalpreet’s performance in the qualifying round has raised hopes in the country that has not won medals in athletics at the Olympics.
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The special thing: Kamalpreet’s best litter of 64 m was better than the best litter of the two-time Olympic champion Sandra Perkovic with 63.75 m.
Kamlapreet started with a 60.29m throw but improved to 63.97 on her second throw. The youngster showed enormous composure when she registered her best litter in her last attempt.
Speaking to Sony Sports ahead of the grand finale, Anju Bobby George said that Kamalpreet can dream of landing on the podium if she manages to get her best shot. It is noteworthy that Kamalpreet’s national record litter of 66.59 m is the sixth best litter in the women’s discus in 2019.
“She was stable there. She was in very good shape until the last moment. So she was able to reproduce a litter that was close to her best. She was able to do that litter. I hope on August 2nd.” “History can be made,” said Anju Bobby George.
Anju Bobby George said of Kamalpreet that she doesn’t have to deal with the burden of expectations at her first Olympic Games: “At your first competition you can go without pressure. Most of the time that will be her attitude. When she comes to the next one.” Edition, there will be pressure and she has to deal with it.
“But here she will go without pressure. She is in very good shape. I think she can. All of India is waiting for the first Olympic medal in athletics.”
66m: Realistic chance of a medal
Kamalpreet has often emphasized that she would crack the 69-meter mark at the games. While it was seen as a huge claim in the run-up to the Games, not many would doubt it after that performance in qualifying.
No less than 2 throwers, including Vallarie Allman from the USA (who finished the qualification with the best throw of 66.42 m), have thrown over 70 m this year. Defending champion Perkovivc has a best throw of 68.31m, while Cuba’s defending champion Yaime Perez has the third best throw of the season of 68.99m.
Anju Bobby George said the big names in the field will be interested in getting close to their best, but pointed out that anything can happen on the big stage at the Olympics.
“66m, there is a realistic chance of a medal. The American has already made 66m. The Croatian has made a 63m throw, but she can be promoted. Three 70-plus throwers are already there.
“But God knows what they can do in a final. I hope that our athlete Kamalpreet can do better than 66 m and probably get a podium place.”
Kamalpreet will be in action on August 2nd at 4:30 p.m. IST in the 12-women discus final.
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