12 more track and field athletes leave for Australia ahead of CWG

With four athletes, including star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, having left for Australia on Wednesday, the total number of Indians, from track and field, to reach Australia well in advance of the CWG, has risen to 16.

Discus thrower Navjeet Kaur Dhillon was also among the athletes, who left for Australia, on Thursday, for the CWG. (File Photo)

Another batch of 12 Indian track and field athletes, on Thursday, left for Australia to get acclimatised to the conditions there, ahead of April’s Commonwealth Games (CWG) in the Gold Coast.

With four athletes, including star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, having left for Australia on Wednesday, the total number of Indians, from track and field, to reach Australia well in advance of the CWG, has risen to 16.

The team that departed the country on Thursday included quartermilers Dharun Ayyasamy, Muhammed Anas, Amoj Jacob, Kunhu Mohammed, Arokia Rajiv, Santosh Kumar, Hima Das, M.R. Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and Sonia Baishya, and discus thrower Navjeet Kaur Dhillon, and also heptathlete Purnima Hembram.

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The Indian team will attend a two-week acclimatisation camp at Gold Coast’s Sports Super Center before the Games. Besides Chopra, triple jumper Arpinder Singh and long jumpers Nayana James and Neena Varakil were also the athletes, who left for Australia on Wednesday.

The Athletics Federation of India had named 31 track and field athletes to represent the country in the April 4-15 Games.