New Delhi: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Thursday named a 37-member Indian athletics team, to be led by Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, for the upcoming Commonwealth Games, with the selection committee picking the athletes on expected lines with no major surprises. Out the of the 37 picked by the selection committee of the AFI, 18 are women, with the likes of star sprinters Hima Das and Dutee Chand getting their berths through the women’s 4x100m relay team.
The selectors also named a men’s 4x400m relay team.
As many as 3 members have been named to the men’s javelin squad, which includes Neeraj, Rohit Yadav and DP Manu while the AFI has also named a 4x400m relay team for the multi-sporting event.
The team also have the likes of Avinash Sable, who broke his own 3000m steeplechase national record for the eighth time recently, as well as Jyothi Yarraji, who broke her own 100m NR twice last month.
One of the notable omissions from the contingent was Tejaswin Shankar, the national record holder high jumper, who won gold at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships 2022 in the US last week with a season-best performance of 2.27m. Tesjaswin has not been picked as he did not take part in the National Inter-State and did nor seek exemption.
Aishwarya Babu, who smashed her own triple jump national record with a stunning 14.14m effort during the recent National Inter-State Championships in Chennai, has found a place in the squad.
Veteran discus thrower Seema Punia, who has medalled in each of the four Commonwealth Games she has taken part in, has been given a chance to feature in Birmingham. Her participation, however, is subject to reaching the qualifying standard set by the AFI in a competition in the USA.
Notably, the AFI was given a quota of 36 athletes by the Indian Olympics Association but the national athletics body has requested the IOC for an extra tickt.
The AFI has been given a quota of 36 in the Indian team for the July 28 to August 8 Games.
Athletics Squad For CWG 2022
Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase); Nitender Rawat (Marathon); M Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Long Jump); Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhose Paul (Triple Jump); Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put); Neeraj Chopra, DP Manu and Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw); Sandeep Kumar and Amit Khatri (Race Walking); Amoj Jacob, Noah Nirmal Tom, Arokia Rajiv, Muhammed Ajmal, Naganathan Pandi and Rajesh Ramesh (4x400m Relay).
Women: S Dhanalakshmi (100m and 4x100m relay); Jyothi Yarraji (100mHurdles); Aishwarya B (Long Jump and Triple Jump) and Ancy Sojan (Long Jump); Manpreet Kaur (Shot Put); Navjeet Kaur Dhilllon and Seema Antil Punia (Discus Throw); Annu Rani and Shilpa Rani (Javelin Throw); Manju Bala Singh and Sarita Romit Singh (Hammer Throw); Bhawna Jat and Priyanka Goswami (Race Walking); Hima Das, Dutee Chand, Srabani Nanda, MV Jilna and NS Simi (4x100m relay).
Comments are closed.