CHENNAI: A day after the qualification cycle ended, the Athletics Federation of India announced a 22-member team for the World Championships in Oregon, USA. There are 17 men, including a six-member 4x400m team and five women.
Tokyo 2020 champion Neeraj Chopra will spearhead India's team and the best bet to win a medal at the Worlds, though other throwers will pose a stiff challenge.
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In current form, long jumper M Sreeshankar harbours a chance along too. In fact, Sreeshankar has the second-best long jump record in the world this season at 8.36m along with Olympic champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece. The world leader is Simon Ehammer of Switzerland, who has a personal best of 8.45m. There are two wildcard entries. Defending world champion Tajay Gayle who has a jump of 7.69m in June and a best of 8.69m in Doha worlds, while the other is Thobias Montler, the Diamond League winner, who has a personal best jump of 8.27m.
Interestingly, though Muhammed Anees Yahiya found a place in the team, the AFI has dropped long jumper Jeswin Aldrin from the squad based on his performance at the Inter-state athletics championships. According to AFI president Adille Sumariwalla, his performance has been going down and they suspect there could be an injury concern too. Though steeple chase athlete Avinash Sable is improving every day winning a medal will be difficult.
Due to the US visa delay and different slots for interviews, the team will be travelling in batches to Chula Vista in the US where they will have a short training to acclimatise before the Worlds. According to chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair, the first batch of athletes who have got their visa, will leave on Saturday, while another batch will leave on Monday. The last batch will leave around July 5.
There was concern about UK visa for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for those travelling to the US for worlds. Nair said that too has been sorted. "The athletes will get their UK visa formalities, including biometrics, done in Chula Vista itself on July 7/8 before proceeding to Oregon," he said. "Neeraj and his physio will complete their formalities in Europe. Avinash Sable has already completed."
Another surprise inclusion was quarter-miler Aishwarya Mishra, who for some reason went apparently missing for a while. Even the AFI was worried and there was suspicion of doping. However, her coach dismissed saying she was with her ailing grandmother. Despite raising doubt, the AFI has gone ahead and selected Aishwarya for the world championships. As a precautionary, the AFI has said that she would be selected after trials and dope test.
Seema Antil, who has withdrawn from the worlds, is concentrating on CWG. "She has a better chance at the CWG for medals and that's why she has opted out of the worlds," said Sumariwalla.
The team:
Men: Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase), MP Jabir (400m Hurdles), M Sreeshankar and Muhammed Anees Yahiya (Long Jump), Abdulla Aboobacker, Praveen Chithravel and Eldhose Paul (Triple Jump), Tajinderpal Singh Toor (Shot Put), Neeraj Chopra and Rohit Yadav (Javelin Throw), Sandeep Kumar (20km Race Walking), Amoj Jacob*, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Ajmal, Naganathan Pandi, Rajesh Ramesh and Muhammed Anas Yahiya (4x400m).
Women: S Dhanalakhsmi (200m), Aishwarya Kailash Mishra (400m), Parul Chaudhary (3000m Steeplechase), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw) and Priyanka Goswami (20km Walk)
Note: Amoj Jacob has been selected subject to fitness. Arokia Rajiv will replace him in the relay squad.