Indian runner Lalita Babar qualified for the finals in the 3,000 metre women's steeplechase event by finishing with the seventh fastest time in the heats on Saturday. Babar put up an impressive show shattering the national record, despite stumbling early in her race and finishing in fourth place in her heat with a timing of 9:19.76.

Babar became the first Indian woman to qualify for the finals of a track event at the Olympics since PT Usha, who achieved the feat at the 1984 Olympics.

However, her compatriot Sudha Singh failed to make the cut, finishing an overall 30th with a timing of 9.43.29. The final of the event will take place on August 15.

The top three from each heat qualified for the final and the next six fastest athletes also qualified also known as lucky losers. Babar was the fastest among the other six which powered her qualification to the final. Overall, she was the seventh fastest athlete on the track.

In another track and field event, India’s Nirmala Sheoran failed to qualify for the women’s 400 metre semi-final. Starting from Lane 7 in Heat 1, Sheoran ran a time of 53.03 and finished with an overall rank of 44th.