With improved technique, Annu Rani ready for the Worlds

Her National record on Sunday has taken her to the third spot in this year’s World list

Nine months ago, after a deeply disappointing Olympics, Annu Rani did not have the courage to face anybody. The javelin thrower was nearly 10m behind her National record in Tokyo, finishing near the bottom in the qualification round, and that left her shattered.

“After the Olympics, I did not go home. I was nervous, I was worried about what everybody would say. Everybody kept asking why I went to Tokyo,” said Rani in a chat with The Hindu from Jamshedpur.

“During the Olympics time, I had knee and ankle injuries and under a lot of pressure. Five months before the Games, my knee injury started. But I did not have time to take rest and had to continue training. My condition was very bad. In Tokyo, during training, I was crying because I couldn’t walk.

“That is why I did not do well at the Olympics. So, I went straight to Patiala for rehab since we have the Worlds and Commonwealth Games this year. I won’t forget Tokyo in my entire life.”

And just when she needed them the most, her sponsors deserted her.

The 29-year-old, from Bahadurpur Village in Uttar Pradesh, has now recovered from her injuries. She improved her National record to 63.82m, at the javelin throw Indian Open in Jamshedpur on Sunday and jumped to the third spot in this year’s World list.

However Rani, daughter of a farmer, was not focusing on big throws in Jamshedpur.