CWG athletics: Prajusha aims for Asian Games medal (Second lead)

NEW DELHI - India’s M.A. Prajusha did not seem unduly perturbed at having narrowly missed the gold and was content with the silver in the women’s long jump at the Commonwealth Games here Sunday. She said an Asian Games medal was her next goal.

A little after her event got over before 40,000 odd crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Prajusha seemed elated and excited at her performance.

“It’s my biggest achievement in my sporting career,” she told reporters.

“I would like to take it forward and improve my scores.” Having won the silver with a jump of 6.47 metres, Prajusha said she would now strive to leap 6.70m for a medal at the Asian Games.

“I want to increase my jump to 6.70m so that I can win at the Asian Games. I will try my best at the Olympics,” said the 23-year-old Railway employee.

Prajusha was leading the field after her jump of 6.47m in the fourth round, but the calf muscle strain limited her abilities in the final two jumps. She fouled on her fifth effort and covered a poor 6.26 metres on her last attempt. Canada’s Alice Falaiye took the gold with a 6.50m jump in the sixth and final round.

Asked about finishing way below her best of 6.55m, the Thrissur-born Prajusha replied: “It was just the competition. This is not my best and not theirs. I always compete till the end.”

Asked about her thoughts before her final jump, she said: “I knew I was in a good standing. So I was not even thinking about getting gold. I just wanted to give my best.”

“My left calf muscle was hurting so I could not take my last two jumps properly, she added.