World Championships: Eldhose Paul finishes 9th in men's triple jump final

India's Eldhose Paul finished ninth in the men's triple jump final while the 4x400m relay team ended 12th overall, failing to make it to the medal round in the World Championships here.

The 25-year-old Paul produced a best jump of 16.79m in the three attempts he had, and failed to make it to the top eight. His series read 16.37, 16.79 and 13.86m. Only the top eight finishers after three rounds get three more jumps.

Paul had become the first Indian to qualify for the triple jump final after finishing 12th overall in the qualification round with an effort of 16.68m.

Paul, who reached here just a few days ago due to visa issues, has a season's and personal best of 16.99m which he had recorded while winning gold in the Federation Cup in April.

Olympic champion Pedro Pichardo of Portugal won the gold medal with a best jump of 17.95m while last edition bronze medallist Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso and Tokyo Games silver winner Zhu Yaming of China finished second and third with best efforts of 17.55m and 17.31m respectively.

In the men's 4x400m relay, India finished sixth and last in heat number one and 12th overall.

The quartet of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Naganathan Pandi and Rajesh Ramesh clocked 3:07.29.

The top three in each and the next two fastest across the two heats qualify for the finals.