Incheon Games silver medalist Tintu Luka ruled out of upcoming Asian Games

In a major setback for the Indian athletics contingent, Tintu Luka, 800m silver medalist in the 2014 Asian games, was ruled out of the Jakarta Palembang 2018 Games. 

Luka, who was on Monday scheduled to appear in a confirmatory trial in Thiruvananthapuram, pulled out of the trials called by the Athletics Federation of India.  

Her coach and Indian sprint legend P T Usha had written to the AFI saying, Luka was still recovering from a heel injury and was unable to take part in the trials, reports PTI. 

PTI quoted a source close to Usha as saying, "Luka has pulled out of the confirmatory trials and hence she will not take part in the Jakarta Asian Games. We have written to the AFI that she will not be able to take part because she has not recovered fully from the heel injury." 

"Luka can run with a normal running shoe but she is not being able to run wearing spikes. So, she has decided not to take part in the confirmatory trials," the source added.

Tintu Luka, citing injury, had also pulled out of the recent Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in June. 

(With PTI inputs)