New Delhi – Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra will headline India’s 19-member squad for the upcoming World Athletics Championships, scheduled in Tokyo from September 13 to 21.
For the first time, India will field four men’s javelin throwers in the event – Chopra, Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, and Rohit Yadav. This was made possible as Chopra enters as a wild card, allowing an additional slot beyond the usual three-athlete cap.
Key Highlights
- Chopra, who won gold in Budapest in 2023, is India’s biggest medal hope.
- India’s squad includes five women athletes across track and field events.
- Notably, India failed to qualify for relay events this time, unlike in 2023 when seven relay runners were part of a 28-member squad.
Medical Setbacks
Three athletes who had qualified missed out due to medical issues:
- Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase) – recovering from ACL surgery.
- Akshdeep Singh (20km race walk) – ruled out on medical grounds despite qualifying.
- Nandini Agasara (heptathlon) – sidelined due to an elbow injury.
“Sable, Akshdeep, and Nandini are not in the team as they are not medically fit,” Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla confirmed.
Full Indian Squad
Men:
- Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra, Sachin Yadav, Yashvir Singh, Rohit Yadav
- Long Jump: Murali Sreeshankar
- 5000m & 10,000m: Gulveer Singh
- Triple Jump: Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker
- High Jump: Sarvesh Anil Kushare
- 200m: Animesh Kujur
- 110m Hurdles: Tejas Shirse
- 20km Race Walk: Servin Sebastian
- 35km Race Walk: Ram Baboo, Sandeep Kumar
Women:
- 3000m Steeplechase: Parul Chaudhary, Ankita Dhyani
- Javelin Throw: Annu Rani
- 35km Race Walk: Priyanka Goswami
- 800m & 1500m: Pooja
Road Ahead
With Chopra in peak form and other promising names like Murali Sreeshankar and Annu Rani in the squad, India will look to better its medal prospects. However, officials admit that apart from Chopra, few athletes are genuine podium contenders at the global stage.
The Tokyo meet will also serve as a key test for India ahead of the 2026 season, which includes the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
Source: Press Trust of India (PTI)
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