About 15 Indians in contention to join Neeraj Chopra for World Athletics Championships, AFI selection meeting on August 28

From a high of 28 Indians taking part in the 2023 World Championships in Hungary where star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra won a gold, barely 15 athletes from the country are likely to feature in the showpiece in Tokyo next month.

With the country not expected to qualify for the relay races, the number of Indians taking part in the World Championships has reduced in a big way.

In 2023, India had named seven quarter-milers for the men's 4x400m relay and the quartet smashed the then existing Asian record and made it to its maiden final, finishing a creditable fifth in the end.


Just like the last edition, at least three Indians are likely to compete in the men's javelin throw event in Tokyo also. The number may increase to four also, if Rohit Yadav, who won the gold in the National Inter-State Championships in Chennai on Sunday, move up the ladder in the world ranking quota.

Besides Chopra, who has already received a wild card by virtue of being the defending champion, Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh are in the 36-athlete bracket as of Sunday, the day of deadline for the World Championships qualification.

Chopra had also breached the automatic qualification mark of 85.50m.

The picture will, though, be clearer on August 27 when the World Athletics updates the Road to Tokyo list.

An athlete can automatically qualify for the World Championships by breaching the qualification mark. The remaining slots required to fill up the total entry number for each event pre-determined by World Athletics will be handed through world ranking quota.

Besides Chopra, only Parul Chaudhary (women's 3000m steeplechase), Gulveer Singh (men's 5,000m), Praveen Chithravel (men's triple jump) have breached the automatic qualification mark. Avinash Sable, who has also achieved automatic qualification, has been ruled out of the showpiece due to injury and subsequent surgery.

Those who are in contention through world ranking quota are Annu Rani (women's javelin), Priyanka Goswami (women's 35km race walk), Animesh Kujur (men's 200m), Abdulla Aboobacker (men's triple jump), Servin Sebastian and Akshdeep Singh (both men's 20km race walk), Ram Baboo (men's 35km race walk), Sachin, Yashvir and Rohit (all men's javelin throw).

Gulveer may also be in contention in the 10,000m race, while women's 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji was in contention till she ended her season due to an injury and subsequent surgery.

Reiging Asian champion heptathlete Nandini Agasara is also not competing in the World Championships despite qualifying for the showpiece as she is undergoing rehabilitation after injuring her left elbow during the continental championships in South Korea in May.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the selection committee of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) will meet on August 28 to pick the country's team for the showpiece. PTI