With form on their side, Neeraj Chopra-led track and field athletes hope to rewrite record books

Indervir Grewal

Chandigarh, September 21

There is a palpable buzz in the Indian athletics contingent. Of all the major multi-sports events, the Asian Games is the biggest hunting ground for India’s track and field athletes.

In the history of the Games, India is third in the total medals won, with 79 gold, 88 silver and 87 bronze. In comparison, India is 16th at the Commonwealth Games with six gold, 14 silver and 14 bronze. The nation has only three medals at the Olympics, with the two silver medals before Neeraj Chopra’s gold coming in 1900.

Chopra’s gold at the Tokyo Games brought Indian athletics back into the limelight. The 25-year-old, though, has been India’s lone bright star in world athletics, having won every major title available in his short career.

Javelin success

The Haryana athlete’s success has led to a recent boom in men’s javelin throw. After a ground-breaking performance at the recent World Championships — with three Indians finishing in the top-6 — there are high expectations of multiple podium finishers in Hangzhou.

Kishore Jena, who finished fifth at the Worlds with a personal best of 84.77m, has recorded the season’s third-best throw among Asians. Chopra, who won his maiden world title in Budapest, leads with 88.77m, while Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who finished second behind the Indian, has a season’s best of 87.82m. Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Nadeem, who has a personal best of 90.18m, will be the biggest threat for defending champion Chopra.

Relay magic

The World Championships also saw a monumental performance from the 4x400m men’s relay team. A blazing run saw the team finish second behind the US in the heats, clocking an Asian record time of 2 minutes, 59.05 seconds. They could not match their effort in the final and finished fifth, but again managed a sub-3-minute time. The Japanese team (3:00.39) has the next best Asian time this year.

Being the favourites, India will be under pressure, but the team is bursting with self-confidence after its Worlds performance. “Whatever they throw at us, we will be ready,” said Amoj Jacob, a key member of the relay team.

Having won silver in the last edition, India will look to add a third gold — first since 1962 — in the event. The 4x400m relay women’s team is looking to extend its dominance by winning the gold for the sixth consecutive time.

Old and new faces

Tajinderpal Singh Toor is also looking to make history by becoming only the fourth Indian — and the first since 1982 — to defend the shot put title. He is 13th on the list of best throws this year with an effort of 21.77m. No other Asian is in the top-50.

Having recently recovered from a groin injury, though, Toor has taken it slow with his preparations. “I am happy with the progress. Right now, it is about getting my rhythm back. I am trying to build it up gradually and not thinking about going full intensity. I don’t want to take any risk. I will give my 100 per cent only at the Asian Games, and hopefully it will be enough for gold,” the 28-year-old said.

Chopra, Toor, Jinson Johnson (1500m) and Swapna Barman (heptathlon) are the only defending champions in the athletics team. In the history of the Games, only six Indian athletes have been able to defend their gold in individual events.

India will also have high hopes from many of the first-timers, with sprinter Jyothi Yarraji, long jumpers Murali Sreeshankar, Jeswin Aldrin and Shaili Singh, triple jumper Abdulla Aboobacker and steeplechasers Avinash Sable and Parul Chaudhary among the top medal contenders.

“The Asian Games will be my season’s last race,” Sable said. “This year I didn’t run any race for the national record but I hope to clock my best timing. The training I had, I hope to win the race,” he added.

Schedule

September 29

Women’s 20km race walk final: Priyanka Goswami

Men 20km race walk final: Sandeep Kumar, Vikash Singh

Women’s hammer throw final: Tanya Chaudhary, Rachna Kumari

Men’s long jump qualifying: Murali Sreeshankar, Jeswin Aldrin

Men’s 400m Round 1: Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal

Women’s 400m Round 1: Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Himanshi Malik

Women’s shot put final: Kiran Baliyan, Manpreet Kaur

September 30

Men’s and women’s 400m finals

Women’s heptathlon: Swapna Barman, Nandini Agasara

Women’s 100m hurdles Round 1: Jyothi Yarraji, Nithya Ramraj

Women’s 1,500m Round 1: Harmilan Bains, Deeksha

Men’s 1,500m Round 1: Ajay Kumar Saroj, Jinson Johnson

Men’s 10,000m final: Karthik Kumar, Gulveer Singh

October 1

Men’s long jump final

Women’s 100m hurdles final

Men’s & women’s 1,500m finals

Women’s 200m Round 1: Jyothi Yarraji

Men’s 200m Round 1: Amlan Borgohain

Mixed 4×400m relay Round 1: Nihal Joel William, Rahul Baby, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Soniya Baishya, Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Jisna Mathew

Women’s heptathlon: Swapna Barman, Nandini Agasara

Men’s shot put final: Tajinderpal Singh Toor, Sahib Singh

Women’s discus throw final: Seema Punia

Men’s 3,000m steeplechase final: Avinash Sable

October 2

Mixed 4×400m relay final

Men’s and women’s 200m finals

Men’s decathlon: Tejaswin Shankar

Men’s 800m Round 1: Krishan Kumar, Mohammed Afsal

Men’s high jump qualifying: Sarvesh Anil Kushare, Jesse Sandesh

Women’s 400m hurdles Round 1: Vithya Ramraj, Sinchal Ravi

Men’s 400m hurdles Round 1: T Santhosh Kumar, Yashas Palaksha

Women’s pole vault final: Pavithra Vengatesh

Women’s long jump final: Shaili Singh, Ancy Sojan

Women’s 3,000m steeplechase final: Parul Chaudhary, Priti Lamba

October 3

Men’s 800m final

Men’s and women’s 400m hurdles finals

Women’s 4×400m relay Round 1: Soniya Baishya, Florence Barla, Subha Venkateshan, Prachi, Aishwarya Kailash Mishra, Himanshi Malik, Jisna Mathew

Men’s 4×400m relay Round 1: Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv, Amoj Jacob, Mijo Chacko Kurian, Rajesh Ramesh, Arul Rajalingam

Men’s decathlon: Tejaswin Shankar

Women’s 800m Round 1: Harmilan Bains, Chanda

Men’s triple jump final: Praveen Chithravel, Abdulla Aboobacker

Women’s high jump final: Rubina Yadav, Pooja

Women’s 5,000m final: Ankita, Parul Chaudhary

Women’s javelin throw final: Annu Rani

October 4

Women’s 800m final

Men’s and women’s 4x400m relay finals

Mixed 35km race walk final: Ram Baboo, Manju Rani

Men’s javelin throw final: Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena

Women’s triple jump final: Sheena Nellickal Varkey

Men’s 5,000m final: Gulveer Singh, Avinash Sable

October 5

Men’s marathon: Man Singh, Belliappa Appachangada Bopaiah