CHANDIGARH: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will spearhead India’s challenge at the upcoming World Championships in Oregon as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Thursday named a 22-member squad that included Maharashtra quarter-miler Aishwarya Mishra, subject to her clearing the 400m trials with electronic time ahead of the event.
Mishra, who turned out at the national inter-state senior championships in Chennai earlier this month, after evading dope testing agencies since her impressive 51.18s show at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode in April, will also have to undergo dope tests before boarding the flight to the US.
“Aishwarya Mishra’s case is simple. She will have to clear the 400m trials with electronic time and also undergo the dope tests before she makes it to the World Championships. Also, as far as I know, she was tested at the Inter-State meet in Chennai,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said in a virtual interaction on Thursday.
Among other prominent names in the squad are Abhinash Sable and seasoned shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who Sumariwalla feels have been improving rapidly ever since he returned from the surgery on his left wrist post the Tokyo Olympics.
Asian champion Toor recently bagged the gold medal at the inter-state nationals with a throw of 20.34m. But as far as the World Championships are concerned his effort did not meet the entry standard of 21.10m. He however, made the cut for the showpiece event in the US through his world ranking of 30th. The top 32 shot putters are allowed entry at the World championships.
“Toor has been on the rise ever since he returned from the surgery. He has shown great improvements in his performances. He came up with a throw of 20.34m at the inter-state nationals but could not take part in his overseas event as he had the flight on the same day. He is the best we have in Shot Put,” Sumariwalla said.
Arokia Rajiv was named as a stand-by for the 4x400m relay team for Amoj Jacob, who got injured during the Inter-State meet. Rohit Yadav is the other javelin thrower in the side with a world ranking of 29, while the Commonwealth Games trio of triple jumpers – Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chitravel and Eldhose Paul – have also been included.
Long jumper Jeswin Aldrin has been overlooked again despite achieving the qualifying mark. The AFI president cited the dip in form in his recent outings as the reason for his exclusion. Mohd. Anees Yahiya made the cut by virtue of his world ranking.
The AFI had earlier withdrawn former Asian Games discus throw champion Seema Punia and race walkers Rahul and Bhawna Jat for the event.
“Seema wants to focus on the Commonwealth Games, she has won medals at the event in the past and has a good chance in Birmingham too. We think she has a better chance of a medal at the CWG, so she has been withdrawn,” Sumariwalla said.
Punia had qualified for the Worlds with 63.72m at Patiala last year, but her recent performances have been far from impressive. Her best this year is 55.97m which came at the Bhubaneswar Indian Grand Prix in May.
The team:
Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase), MP Jabir (400m Hurdles), M Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Long Jump), Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhose Paul (Triple Jump), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put), Neeraj Chopra and Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw), Sandeep Kumar (20km Race Walking), Amoj Jacob*, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Ajmal, Naganathan Pandi, Rajesh Ramesh and Muhammed Anas Yahiya (4x400m).
Women: S Dhanalakhsmi (200m), Aishwarya Kailash Mishra (400m), Parul Chaudhary (3000m Steeplechase), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw) and Priyanka Goswami (20km Walk)
Mishra, who turned out at the national inter-state senior championships in Chennai earlier this month, after evading dope testing agencies since her impressive 51.18s show at the Federation Cup in Kozhikode in April, will also have to undergo dope tests before boarding the flight to the US.
“Aishwarya Mishra’s case is simple. She will have to clear the 400m trials with electronic time and also undergo the dope tests before she makes it to the World Championships. Also, as far as I know, she was tested at the Inter-State meet in Chennai,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said in a virtual interaction on Thursday.
Among other prominent names in the squad are Abhinash Sable and seasoned shot-putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who Sumariwalla feels have been improving rapidly ever since he returned from the surgery on his left wrist post the Tokyo Olympics.
Asian champion Toor recently bagged the gold medal at the inter-state nationals with a throw of 20.34m. But as far as the World Championships are concerned his effort did not meet the entry standard of 21.10m. He however, made the cut for the showpiece event in the US through his world ranking of 30th. The top 32 shot putters are allowed entry at the World championships.
“Toor has been on the rise ever since he returned from the surgery. He has shown great improvements in his performances. He came up with a throw of 20.34m at the inter-state nationals but could not take part in his overseas event as he had the flight on the same day. He is the best we have in Shot Put,” Sumariwalla said.
Arokia Rajiv was named as a stand-by for the 4x400m relay team for Amoj Jacob, who got injured during the Inter-State meet. Rohit Yadav is the other javelin thrower in the side with a world ranking of 29, while the Commonwealth Games trio of triple jumpers – Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chitravel and Eldhose Paul – have also been included.
Long jumper Jeswin Aldrin has been overlooked again despite achieving the qualifying mark. The AFI president cited the dip in form in his recent outings as the reason for his exclusion. Mohd. Anees Yahiya made the cut by virtue of his world ranking.
The AFI had earlier withdrawn former Asian Games discus throw champion Seema Punia and race walkers Rahul and Bhawna Jat for the event.
“Seema wants to focus on the Commonwealth Games, she has won medals at the event in the past and has a good chance in Birmingham too. We think she has a better chance of a medal at the CWG, so she has been withdrawn,” Sumariwalla said.
Punia had qualified for the Worlds with 63.72m at Patiala last year, but her recent performances have been far from impressive. Her best this year is 55.97m which came at the Bhubaneswar Indian Grand Prix in May.
The team:
Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase), MP Jabir (400m Hurdles), M Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Long Jump), Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhose Paul (Triple Jump), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put), Neeraj Chopra and Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw), Sandeep Kumar (20km Race Walking), Amoj Jacob*, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Ajmal, Naganathan Pandi, Rajesh Ramesh and Muhammed Anas Yahiya (4x400m).
Women: S Dhanalakhsmi (200m), Aishwarya Kailash Mishra (400m), Parul Chaudhary (3000m Steeplechase), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw) and Priyanka Goswami (20km Walk)
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