AFI aims to add 15 more athletes to 65-member contingent for Asian Games 2023
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has said that it is planning to add 15 more athletes for the track and field events at the upcoming Asian Games, scheduled to take place in Hangzhou from September 23. The additional players will be picked after the two-day Indian Grand Prix that got underway on Sunday, September 10.
The Indian contingent already has 65 athletes for the event in China.
“The Indian contingent will be bigger and stronger this time. We have shortlisted 65 athletes and there are chances to add another 15 athletes depending on whether they achieve the qualification criteria set by the AFI during the two-day IGP,” Adille Sumariwalla, the AFI president, was quoted as saying by PTI.
Interestingly, more than 50 percent of the athletes, who are already a part of the Asian Games, have registered their names for the event.
Shot putter Sahib Singh, javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena, Yashas Palaksha (400m hurdles), Jinson Johnson (1500m), Jesse Sandesh (high jump), Mohammed Afsal (800m), quarter-milers Rajesh Ramesh, Nihal Joel William, Arokia Rajiv, Mijo Chacko Kurian, Rahul Baby, and Amoj Jacob are among the men who have registered for the event.
Among the women are shot putters Kiran Baliyan and Manpreet Kaur, long jumper Ancy Sojan, Sinchal Kaveramma and R Vithya Ramraj (400m hurdles), Harmilan Bains (1500m), Chanda (800m), hammer throwers Rachna Kumari and Tanya Chaudhary, high jumper Rubina Yadav, triple jumper Sheena N V. discus thrower Seema Punia and quarter milers, Sonia Baishya, Florence Barla, Himanshi Malik, Aishwarya Mishra, Jisna Mathew and Subha Venkatesan.
AFI president lauds Budapest performers
The Indian athletes recently performed brilliantly in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Golden boy Neeraj Chopra, debutant Kishore Jena and DP Manu were the Indians in the top three of the javelin throw event.
The men's 4x400 metre relay team also broke the Asian record.
Lauding the performance of the Indian contingent at the mega event, Adille Sumariwalla was quoted as saying by the aforementioned agency:
“The Indian athletes gave a good account of themselves at the just concluded August 19 to 27 Budapest World Athletics Championships held in Hungary. Parul Chaudhary (3000m steeplechase) and Ajay Kumar Saroj (1500m) too performed exceptionally well at the Worlds."
The track and field competitions in the Asian Games are all set to get underway on September 29.