26-member athletics team for Tokyo Olympics

By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Monday released the names of the 26-member Indian contingent who will compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The athletics events will begin from July 31 and continue till August 9.Seventeen male and nine female athletes are part of the team with the likes of M Sreeshankar (long jump) getting ready for his maiden Olympics while discus thrower Seema Punia is set to participate in her fourth Olympics.

AFI president Adille J Sumariwalla said that the federation is looking forward to a good show by the team. “We are happy that it is a well prepared team, physically and emotionally, for the Olympic Games. The world has been through a lot and athletes have been challenged to stay in good shape, retain form and be in good spirits,” he was quoted in a statement.

The squad: Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase); MP Jabir (400m Hurdles): M Sreeshankar (Long Jump); Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put); Neeraj Chopra and Shivpal Singh (Javelin Throw); KT Irfan, Sandeep Kumar and Rahul Rohilla (20km Walk) and Gurpreet Singh (50km Walk); 4x400m Relay: Amoj Jacob, Arokia Rajiv, Muhammed Anas, Naganathan Pandi, Noah Nirmal Tom; 4x400m Mixed Relay: Sarthak Bhambri, Alex Antony.

Women: Dutee Chand (100m and 200m); Kamalpreet Kaur and Seema Antil-Punia (Discus Throw) and Annu Rani (Javelin Throw); Bhawna Jat and Priyanka Goswami (20km Walk) and (Mixed 4x400m Relay): Revathi Veeramani, Subha Venkatesan & Dhanalakshmi Sekhar.