IAAF praises Luka, Preeja, Kavita in its annual review

New Delhi: Country`s promising middle distance runner Tintu Luka has been dubbed as a challenger to the title "Revelation of 2010" by the International Association of Athletics Federations during its annual review of events on its webiste.

Up against the Indian athlete for the title is Halima Hachlaf of Morocco. "And as for the title `Revelation of 2010` Halima Hachlaf has strong opposition from Tintu Luka of India who showed exciting potential when, without the slightest hesitation, went on an offensive in her debut on the Tour in Brussels," the IAAF stated on its website. "She ended up eighth there in 2:00.79 but took another second and half off her personal best when finishing fifth in 1:59.17 after another daring run at the Continental Cup," it further wrote. Besides Luka, the IAAF also showered eulogies on Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut for their performances in this year`s Delhi Commowealth Games and the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. "The most remarkable race was at the Asian Games which ended in a double victory for India. Internationally previously unheralded Preeja Sreedharan and Kavita Raut improved drastically to 31:50.47 and 31:51.44 holding off all challenges from the previously more accomplished runners from Japan (Fukushi and Yoshimoto) and Bahrain (ex-Ethiopians Eshete and Daba)," it stated about Sreedharan and Raut."Was this a sign of an emergence of India as a future global player in women`s long distance running?" Luka, the protégé of the legendary P T Usha, after a disappointing show in the CWG, won a bronze in the Asian Games. Sreedharan won a gold in 10,000m and a silver in 5,000m in Guangzhou while Raut, who won a bronze in the 10,000m race in the CWG, bagged two bronze -- one each in 5,000 and 10,000m in the Asiad. PTI