Parul finishes 8th in 3000m steeplechase heat race, fails to qualify for final round

national record holder in women's 3000m steeplechase Parul Chaudhary failed to qualify for final round after finishing eighth in heat race to end her campaign in Paris Olympics, here on Sunday.

29-year-old Parul, who underwent high-altitude training in USA for a few months in le-up to Games, ran distance at 9 minutes 23.39 seconds, which was her season's best but well below her national mark of 9:15.31, clocked in 2023 Budapest World Championships.

top-five each from three heat races qualify for final.

defending Olympic champion Peruth Chemutai of Uganda won heat number one with 9:10.51 while Faith Cherotich (9:10.57) of Kenya and Gesa Felicitas Krause (9:10.68) from Germany were second and third respectively.

This brought to an end to Parul's campaign who h also failed to qualify for women's 5000m race along with Ankita Dhyani.

Parul h me direct qualification for 3000m steeplechase — her pet event — after breaching entry standard of 9:23.00.

Lalita Babar was lone Indian woman 3000m steeplechaser to qualify for final round in 2016 Rio Olympics, where she ultimately finished 10th.