State backs athletes who could miss Rio due to power failure

NEW DELHI (AP) The Olympic ambitions of two Indian sprinters are in jeopardy after a power failure at a weekend qualifying event prevented electronic timing, and their hand-timed performances - good enough to make the team for Rio de Janeiro - do not count.

Miya Kumar Mallick and Srabani Nanda recorded 10.09 seconds and 11.23 seconds in the men's and women's 100-meter races respectively at the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday, which bettered the qualifying standard 10.16 and 11.32.

The issue was raised in India's parliament on Tuesday and Sudam Marndi, the sports minister for the eastern state of Orissa, said the issue must be taken ''seriously'' and urged the national government to help give the two athletes another chance to set a qualifying time.