Commonwealth Games 2014: Poovamma, Sharadha, Karhana enter semifinals

Glasgow: Poovamma Machettira and Sharadha Narayana qualified for the semifinals of women's 400m and women's 100m race while Om Parkash Singh Karhana entered the final of the shot put event at the 20th Commonwealth Games, here today. Poovamma set a time of 54.01 seconds in the heat to seal her place in the semifinals of the women's 400m to be held Hampden Park Stadium tomorrow.

Poovamma, 24, was third and last of the eight competitors to reach the semis. Chandrika Subashini Rasnayaka Mudiyanselage of Sri Lanka topped the heat with 53.75s ahead of Nigeria's Regina George who clocked 53.92s. Earlier, despite finishing a fifth in her heat, Sharadha qualified for the women's 100s semifinal. She is placed last among the 24 semifinals after having clocked a disappointing timing of 11.81s, way behind her personal best of 11.39s.

Karhana too made it to the semifinals despite finishing fifth in his Group B qualification round. Karhana, who hails from Gurgaon, threw a best of 18.98m on his third and final attempt. His first two attempts were 17.67m and 18.54m, respectively.