Athletics Federation of India pick team for Asian Indoors & Asian Games test event
New Delhi: Sprinter Dutee Chand will be part of the 13-strong Indian team for the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, while reigning Asian champion distance runner G Lakshmanan has been selected in the 36-member contingent for the Asian Games test event competition.
The 21-year-old Dutee Chand, who won a bronze each in the 100m and the 4x100m events at the Asian Championship last year, will carry India's hopes in the eighth edition of the tournament to be held in Tehran, Iran from February 1 to 3.
Dutee Chand was banned by the Athletics Federation of India in 2014 under the Hyperandrogenism policy but she fought her back in 2015 after challenging the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne.a
Lakhsmanan, who won double gold in 5,000m and 10,000m at the Asian Athletic Championships, will lead Indian challenge in the Asian Games test event slated from February 11 to 14 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The team also comprises Davinder Singh Kang, who became the first Indian to qualify for the final round in javelin throw in World Championship last year. Shot putter Om Prakash Singh, who competed at the 2012 London Olympics, has been picked for the Asian Indoor championship but his selection to the Asian Games test event will depend on his performance in Iran.
Jakarta will host the 18th Asian Games later this year from August 18 to September 2. The teams were selected under the chairmanship of G S Randhawa, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) selection committee chairman.
After the meeting at AFI headquarter here on Wednesday, CK Valson, Secretary AFI said, "The athletes were selected on the basis of their performances in the International and National Championships including National Junior Championships held in 2017 and confirming their present fitness levels.
"The team is short as we have excluded certain events due to inexperience of our athletes on a 200m track." Meanwhile, Indian cross country athletes will participate in the 14th Asian Cross Country Championships to be held at Guiyang, China on March 15.
The team will be selected based on performance at the 52nd National Cross Country Championships to be held on Sunday in Goa.
Team for 8th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships (Tehran, Iran):
Men: Muhammed Sadath & Elakkya Dasan (60m), Samsheer SE & Shree Shankar (long jump), Arpinder Singh & Kamal Raj (triple jump), Tajinder Singh Toor & Om Prakash Singh (shot put);
Women: Dutee Chand (60m), Sanjeevini Jadhav (3000m), Nayana James & Neena Varakil (long jump), Sheena NV (triple jump).
Team for Asian Games test event competition (Jakarta, Indonesia):
Men: Muhammed Sadath, Elakkaya Dasan, Vidya Sagar, Anuroop John, Satnaam Singh, CH Sudhakar (4x100m relay), Kunhu Muhammed, Jithu Baby, Jeevan KS, Sumit Kumar (4x400m relay), Santosh Kumar T, Jabir MP (400m, 4x400m relay), Jinson Johnson (800m), Ajay Kumar Saroj (1500m), G Lakshmanan (5000m), Davinder Singh Kang & Sahil Silwal (Javelin Throw), Tajinder Singh Toor & Om Prakash Singh (shot put, subject to the performance at Asian Indoors), Samsheer SE & Shree Shankar (long jump), Arpinder Singh & Kamal Raj (triple jump).
Women: Jisna Mathew & Soniya Baishiya (400m & 4x400m relay), Debashree Majumdar, Sarita Gaikwad, Nitya Shree (4x400m relay), Hima Das (200m, 4x400m relay), Chitra PU (1500m), Suriya L & Sanjivani Jadhav (5000m), Sarita P Singh (hammer throw), Nayana James & Neena Varakil (long jump), Sheena NV (triple jump).
