Champion Vikas cleared to compete in Asian Athletics

The Athletics Federation of India confirmed on Tuesday that the two-time discus throw champion Vikas Gowda will be part of the Indian squad at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships here.

Vikas had been asked to attend the confirmatory fitness trials here but doubts were expressed in some quarters about his inclusion in the squad. The AFI’s selection committee chairman GS Randhawa had brushed aside such concerns on Monday.

On Tuesday, the AFI announced that all athletes who were asked to report for confirmatory trials, including Vikas and Siddhanth Thingalaya (110M hurdles), have been cleared to compete in the championships, starting Thursday.

The United States-based athletes Vikas, who will seek to complete a hat-trick of victories, and Siddhanth went through the trials on Sunday. Long jumpers Siddharth Mohan Naik and Nayana James as well as triple jumpers Karthik Unnikrishnan and Joyline M Lobo passed the tests on Saturday.

Vikas, who won silver medals in the Asian Championships in  Incheon (Korea) in 2005 and Kobe (Japan) in 2011, struck gold in Pune in 2013 and Wuhan (China) two years later.
Meanwhile, a colourful opening ceremony has been planned on Wednesday for the championships, with the Odisha government machinery out in full force to make the event a success. Actual events will start on Thursday.