JOIN US The selection committee of Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has picked a 24-member team which will compete in 14 different disciplines at the IAAF World Championships in London from August 4-13.
The Indian team comprises 14 men who will participate in eight different disciplines while ten women athletes will compete in six various events. Among the women athletes, Sudha Sigh was a notable absentee despite winning gold in 3000M steeplechase in the Asia Championships earlier this month. Other Asian championship gold medallists to miss out on the berth for World Championships were Ajay Kumar Saroj in men’s 1500M and PU Chitra in women’s 1500M.
Expectedly there was no representation in women’s shotput after Manpreet Kaur was tested positive for both stimulant and steroid.
For women 20km walk, Khushbir Kaur was the lone representation while in the men’s 20km walk there will be three representations in Irfan KT, Devender Singh and Ganapathi Krishnan.
India’s campaign at the world championships will begin with long distance runner G Lakshmanan’s participation in the mens’ 10000M final on August 5.
Team: Men: 20km walk: Irfan Kolothum Thodi, Devender Singh and Ganapathi Krishnan; 400m & 4x400m relay: Muhammed Anas Yahiya; 5000M & 10000M: Lakshmanan Govindnan; 110m hurdles: Siddhanth Thingalaya; Marathon: Gopi Thonakal; Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra and Davinder Singh Kang; 4x400M relay: Arokia Rajiv, Amoj Jacob, Kunhu Mohammed, Mohan Kumar Raja, Sachin Roby.
Women: 20km walk: Khushbir Kaur; 400M & 4x400M relay: Nirmala; Heptathlon: Swapna Barman; Marathon: Monika Motiram Athare; Javelin Throw: Annu Rani; 4x400M relay: Poovamma Raju Machettira, Jisna Mathew, Anilda Thomas, Jauna Murmu, Anu Raghavan.
Team officials & coaches: Vishal Kumar Dev, IAS, (team leader); Tony Daniel (team manager), Radha Krishnan Nair (deputy chief coach), Galina Bukharina (coach), PT Usha (coach), Surendra Singh (coach), Alexander Arstybashev (coach), Raj Mohan (coach), Bahadur Singh Chauhan (coach), Anju Bobby George (coach/observer), Arun Mendiratta (team doctor), Pawan Kumar (male masseur), Kinga Lidia (female masseur).