Tokyo Olympics: Neeraj Chopra highlights 26-member Indian athletics squad for Games

Neeraj Chopra and Duttee Chand are star attractions as the Athletics Federation of India named a 26-member squad for the Tokyo Olympics, starting July 3. The track and field events at the Games will get underway from from July 31 and will run through August 8.

Neeraj Chopra is India’s brightest medal prospect in track and field. Meanwhile, Dutee (women’s 100m and 200m), MP Jabir (men’s 400m hurdles), Gurpreet Singh (men’s 50km race walk) and Annu Rani (women’s javelin throw) have been assured of entries on the strength of their rankings.

Gurpreet is the latest inclusion assured of qualification, according to the AFI.

The 26-member team includes 16 athletes, who will compete in the individual events, five male athletes for the men’s 4x400m relay event and two men and three women for the mixed 4x400m relay. All three women set to compete in the mixed 4x400m relay were picked by the federation on the basis of trials held on Sunday.

AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said the federation is looking forward to a good show by the team and pointed out that training facilities have been ensured despite the travel restrictions due to Covid-19.

“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 in good spirits.

“We are pleased that our athletes have remained in training ever since the lockdown was lifted,” he said.

Sumariwalla said it was significant that as many as 12 individual athletes and the 4x400m mixed relay team had attained Entry Standards, laid down by World Athletics, to secure automatic berths.

India’s Athletics Squad for Tokyo Games

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 & Dhanlakshmi Sekhar.