Minimol and Srimati found themselves outclassed by the rest of the field in the six-team final and clocked 2 minutes, 7.24 seconds - more than seven seconds behind fifth-placed Ri-Jong Sim and Ri Myong-Bok of North Korea - in the event in which the gold was grabbed by the Chinese pair of Gao Beibi and Zhong Hongyan in 1 minute, 54.64 seconds.

Minimol and Srimati had come up with an excellent effort clocking 1:56.67 to enter the final yesterday and given India hopes of achieving a medal only to return empty-handed from a strong field. The Indian pair had finished second behind Kazakhstan's Natalya Sergeyeva and Tatyana Sergina, who took the silver today in 1:57.28, in the first semifinal of the event yesterday.

The bronze was bagged by Uzebkistan duo of Tatyana Levina and Oksana Shpiganevich in 1:59.42.