Indian athletes ready to showcase their potential in Asian U-20 meet

AFI has shortlisted a 60-member team to compete at the Asian U-20 meet that will also act as a qualifying event for the World U-20 Athletics Championship in Lima, Peru from August 27 to 31.

Middle distance runner Laxita Sandilea (centre) will look to defend her 1500m title at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships.  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Gujarat’s 1500m runner Laxita Sandilea, Rajasthan shot putter Siddharth Choudhary – both defending champions in their respective events – and Odisha quartermiler Bapi Hansda will be among the stars to watch in the Asian under-20 athletics championships which begin in Dubai on Wednesday.

With 19 medals, including six gold, India finished third in the championships last year in Yecheon, Korea and chief national junior coach N. Ramesh feels the team could do better this time.

“Last year the men’s 4x100m relay team won bronze while the 4x400m squad claimed silver,” said Ramesh. “This time we have good chances of winning gold medals in both the relays.”

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The Athletics Federation of India announced a 60-member for the championships on Tuesday.

The Asians will be a qualifying event for the under-20 Worlds which will be held in Lima, Peru, in August.

Team:

Men: Abiram Pramod (400, 4x400m relay), Aman Choudhary (4x400m relay), Anurag Singh Kaler (shot put), Bapi Hansda (400m, 4x400m relay), Dev Kumar Meena (pole vault), Dipanshu Sharma (javelin throw), Mrutyam Jayaram Dondapati (200m, 4x400m relay), Gaurav Bhaskar Bhosale (3,000m, 5,000m), Harshit Kumar (hammer throw), Himanshu (10,000m race walk), Hima Teja Vallipi (4x100m relay), Karthikeyan Soundararajan (4x100m relay), Kuldeep Kumar (pole vault), Mahendra Santa (4x100m relay), Mohd Atta Sazid (long jump), Navpreet Singh (4x400m relay), Nikhil Suhas Dhake (4x400m relay), Prateek (hammer throw), Priyanshu (1500m), Rahul Sarnaliya (1500m), Ranvir Ajay Singh (3,000m steeplechase), Ritik (discus throw), Rohan Ghosh (4x100m relay), Rohan Yadav (javelin throw), Sachin (10,000m race walk), Sahil Malik (4x400m relay), Shahnavaz Khan (long jump), Sharuk Khan (3,000m steeplechase), Siddharth Choudhary (shot put), Vikas Kumar Bind (3,000m), Vinod Singh (5,000m).

Women: Aarti (10,000m race walk), Abinaya Rajarajan (4x100m relay), Amanat Kamboj (discus throw), Anushka Yadav (hammer throw), Anushka Dattatray Kumbhar (400m, 4x400m relay), SAI Sangeetha Dodla (400m, 4x400m relay), Ekta Dey (3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m), Jeyavindhiya Jegadish (400m hurdles, 4x400m relay), Kanista Teena Maria Deva Shekhar (4x400m relay), Laxita Vinod Sandilea (800m. 1,500m), Mishthi Kajla (4x400m relay), Nandini (hammer throw), Neole Anna Cornelio (4x100m relay), Nikita Kumari (discus throw), Pavana Nagaraj (long jump, heptathlon), Prachi Ankush Devkar (3,000m), Prathiksha Yamuna Ashok Kumar (long jump), Rishika Awasthi (triple jump), Rujula Amol Bhonsle (4x100m relay), Sabita Toppo (100m hurdles, 4x100m relay), Sakshi Champalal Chavan (4x100m relay), Sandramol Sabu (4x100m relay), Shilpaben Veljibhai Dihora (3,000m), Shreeya Rajesh (400m hurdles), Siya Abhijit Sawant (4x100m relay), Sunita Devi (5,000m), Tanvi Malik (800m), Unnathi Aiyappa Bolland (100m hurdles).