KOCHI: A 24-member team will represent India in 14 disciplines at the IAAF World Championship in London from August 4 to 13. This will be India's largest contingent to the biennial athletic event. The previous highest was 16 in Beijing in 2015.
However, metric milers Ajay Kumar Saroj and PU Chitra, who had qualified for the mega event on the account on being Asian champions, were not included in the squad.
Sudha Singh, who won gold in 3000m steeplechase in the Asian Championship, was also overlooked for selection. Sudha was also not considered for marathon despite having achieved the qualifying mark. Monika Athara is the lone woman entry in marathon. T Gopi is sole contender in men's marathon, although India had three who had made the cut. G Lakshmanan will vie in 5000 and 10000m.
In men's 20km racewalk, as reported by Express earlier, KT Irfan, Devender Singh and K Ganapathi have made the cut. Due to the National Racewalking Championship in Delhi earlier this year not meeting international standards, the timings of three 50km walkers who qualified were not taken into consideration. Shot putter Manpreet Kaur, who tested positive for doping, was also not considered.
The 4x400m relay teams made it after their performance broke into the top 16 in world rankings. Neeraj Chopra and Davinder Singh Kang, who got a reprieve from NADA after testing positive for cannabis, will competing in the men's javelin throw section.
13-member support staff
The AFI, which had trimmed the number of athletes possibly as a cost-cutting measure, was benevolent towards coaches and officials. Names of 13 coaches and support staff have been cleared to accompany the team. PT Usha, who has only one trainee, Jisna Mathew in the squad, has been appointed as coach. Anju Bobby George has made it to the squad as coach-cum-observer. Interestingly, the squad features no long jumper and none of the athletes with Anju. National chief coach Bahadur Singh Chauhan and deputy Radha Krishnan Nair have also been included.
SQUAD: Men: 20km walk: KT Irfan, Devender Singh, Ganapathi Krishnan. 400m & 4x400m relay: Muhammed Anas Yahiya. 5000m & 10000m: Lakshmanan Govindnan. 110m hurdles: Siddhanth Thingalaya. Marathon: Gopi Thonnakal. Javelin throw: Neeraj Chopra, 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 Athare. Javelin throw: Annu Rani. 4x400m relay: MR Poovamma, Jisna Mathew, Anilda Thomas, Jauna Murmu, Anu Raghavan.