- विज्ञापन -
New Delhi: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday unveiled a strong 58-member Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held from May 27 to 31 in Gumi, South Korea. The announcement came a day after the conclusion of the Federation Cup in Kochi, which served as the final selection trial for the continental event.
Headlining the squad are some of India’s top track and field stars including triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, long jumper Shaili Singh, and sprinter Animesh Kujur, all of whom are expected to lead India’s medal hunt.
India, currently third in the all-time medal tally of the Asian Championships behind China and Japan, will look to better its previous edition’s total of 27 medals including six gold in Bangkok 2023. The selection process was stringent, with the AFI making it mandatory for athletes to meet qualification standards at the Federation Cup and finish in the top two positions to be considered.
AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo and chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair reiterated the importance of recent form in the final decision. Notably, sprinters Gurindervir Singh and Manikanta Hoblidar, despite meeting the 100m qualifying marks earlier at the Indian Grand Prix-1, were left out of individual events after failing to deliver top finishes in Kochi. However, both have been named in the 4x100m relay squad.
Exemptions were granted to elite international performers such as Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary, given their consistent overseas records. Sable will compete in the 3000m steeplechase while Parul is set to participate in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m events. Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, however, will not be a part of the Indian squad due to overlapping international commitments, including the Doha Diamond League and the Neeraj Chopra Classic.
