Vikas Gowda qualifies for Rio

With the entry standard in the event being brought down from 66m to 65m, Gowda has now qualified for Rio after his 65.14m effort at the Jamaican invitational meet in Kingston in May 9, 2015. The Rio qualification gates opened on May 1 this year.

Vikas Gowda was placed eighth in discus throw in the 2012 London Olympics.

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has revised the entry standards for next year’s Rio Olympics and the big gainer is discus thrower Vikas Gowda.

With the entry standard in the event being brought down from 66m to 65m, Gowda has now qualified for Rio after his 65.14m effort at the Jamaican invitational meet in Kingston in May 9, 2015.

The Rio qualification gates opened on May 1 this year.

The Commonwealth Games champion and Asiad silver medallist Gowda, who was eighth in the 2012 London Olympics with 64.79m and ninth in the World Championship in Beijing this August, has a season best of 65.75m, which came in California, and another 65-plus mark this year but both were achieved in April (before the qualification).

The revision in the entry standards was approved by the IAAF last month and announced on Thursday.