New Delhi: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced the country’s 19-member squad for the upcoming World Athletics Championships on Sunday, August 31. The tournament is set to begin in Tokyo on September 13.
The 19-member squad consists of 14 men and five women players across 15 events. Reigning world Javelin champion Neeraj Chopra will be the country’s best hope for a medal in the tournament.
For the first time in the country’s history, India will have four men’s javelin throwers in the mega event, with Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav also competing in the tournament.
India sent 28 athletes during the 2023 edition in Hungary, which included seven relay racers in the squad. This time, the country failed to qualify for any relay event. Men’s 20km race walker Akshdeep Singh was not included in the team despite qualifying through world ranking, as he is not medically fit. Heptathlete Nandini Agasara also qualified as an Asian champion, but is yet to fully recover from her elbow injury, reports PTI.
Star 3000m steeplechaser Avinash Sable qualified by breaking the automatic qualification mark, but is set to miss the event as he underwent ACL surgery in July. Chopra also breached the 85.50m direct qualifying mark, while the other three Indians advanced through world ranking.
Rohit was initially not included in the 36-athlete bracket to participate in Tokyo, but got the invite from World Athletics after the competitors above him in the world rankings pulled out.
India’s squad for World Athletics Championships
Men: Neeraj Chopra, Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav (men’s javelin), Murali Sreeshankar (men’s long jump), Gulveer Singh (men’s 5,000m and 10,000m), Praveen Chithravel and Abdulla Aboobacker (men’s triple jump), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (men’s high jump), Animesh Kujur (men’s 200m), Tejas Shirse (men’s 110m hurdles), Servin Sebastian (men’s 20km race walk), Ram Baboo and Sandeep Kumar (men’s 35km race walk).
Women: Parul Chaudhary and Ankita Dhyani (women’s 3000m steeplechase), Annu Rani (women’s javelin), Priyanka Goswami (women’s 35km race walk), Pooja (women’s 800m and 1500m).