World Athletics Championships 2023: Bhawna Jat, India’s lone female athlete in the 20km race walk, out due to anti-doping violation
Tokyo Olympian Bhawna Jat will return home from World Championships in Budapest after three dope test failures within 12 months.
Bhawna, who was the only Indian athlete to qualify for the 20km race walk in the World Championships, has been provisionally suspended after three whereabouts failures, according to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
Notably, the 27-year-old made it to the Championships through World Rankings and has been in good form, having won multiple National Championships this year.
In July 2023, Bhawna defeated Priyanka Goswami to win the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships 2023. She clocked 1:37:03 to win at the event. Her best performance of 2023 came in Ranchi's National Race Walking Championships in February, where she clocked 1:29:44.
Also, in the All Japan Race Walking Event in March, she clocked 1:36:20. The 27-year-old even qualified for the Asian Games which will take place in China in September.
According to World Anti-Doping Agency Rules, an athlete should not commit three anti-doping rule violations within 12 months. If so, they will be suspended immediately. The whereabouts failure includes filing failure as well as missing doping tests.
Notably, Bhawna Jat did not participate in the July 2022 World Championships as well. She was asked by the AFI to withdraw to focus on the Commonwealth Games 2022. Bhawna recorded her personal best in the 10,000m race walk and finished 8th in the Games in 2022.
27 Indians to participate in World Athletics Championships
The World Athletics Championships will witness 27 Indian athletes, excluding Bhawna Jat. The Indian contingent will be led by former medallist Neeraj Chopra.
Apart from Neeraj Chopra, DP Manu, Kishore Jena, and Annu Rani will participate in the Javelin Throw event. In 3000m Steeplechase, Avinash Sable, and Parul Chaudhary are the two Indian participants.
Indian sensation Jyothi Yarraji will feature in the 100m hurdles and is one of the athletes to keep an eye on at this World Athletics Championships. Other in-form athletes include Sreeshankar, Shaili Singh in the Long Jump. The Indian athletes will begin their campaign on August 19.