Picture Credit: X
As the Federation Cup Senior National Athletics Championships concluded, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced the Indian squad for the upcoming championship. The continental meet is set to take place in Gumi, South Korea, from May 27 to 31, 2025, and will serve as a vital qualifying event for the World Championship. The selected squad has some of the top Indian athletes, including Avinash Sable, Jyothi Yarraji, and Praveen Chithravel, who scored well in the Federation Cup, which also served as a selection trial. With achievements in track and field events being evaluated, the final squad includes both seasoned veterans and new stars looking to make an impression on the Asian scene.
Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, will miss the continental event, instead of competing in the Doha Diamond League on May 16 and the Neeraj Chopra Classic on May 24. In his absence, Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh will compete for India in the men's javelin throw. Annu Rani and Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who won gold medals in the Asian Games, were among the big names left out.
Top Olympians to represent India at the Asian Championships
The upcoming Asian Championship will see some of the top Indian Olympians representing India. Praveen Chithravel, who set his national record of 17.37m on Thursday, April 24, and reigning Asian champion Abdulla Aboobacker will represent India in the men's triple jump. Jyothi Yarraji plans to defend her 100m hurdles title, while Tejaswin Shankar will compete in the decathlon.
The team also includes sprinter Animesh Kujur, who just broke the national 200m record. The women's squad includes long jumpers Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan, as well as quarter-milers Rupal Chaudhary and Vithya Ramraj, nominated to the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay teams.
Squad for the Asian Athletics Championships 2025
Men: Animesh Kujur (200m), 800m (Anu Kumar, Krishan Kumar), 1500m (Yoonus Shah), 3000m Steeplechase (Avinash Sable), 5000m (Gulveer Singh, Abhishek Pal), 10,000m (Gulveer Singh, Sawan Barwal), Triple Jump (Praveen Chithravel, Abudlla Aboobacker), High Jump (Sarvesh Kushare), Javelin throw (Sachin Yadav, Yasvir Singh), Shot Put (Samardeep Singh), Decathlon (Tejaswin Shankar), 20Km Race walk (Servin Sebastian, Amit).
4x100m: Pranav Pramod, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidar, Amlan Borgohain, Tamilarasu, Ragul Kumar, Gurvinder Singh
4×400m: Vishal TK, Jay Kumar, Manu TS, Dharamveer Chaudhary, Rince Joseph, Tushar Kanti, Santosh Kumar, Mohit Kumar
Women: Nithya Gandhe (200m), 400m (Rupal Chaudhary, Vithya Ramraj), 800m (Twinkle Chaudhary, Pooja), 1500m (Lili Das, Pooja), 3000m Steeplechase (Parul Chaudhary, Ankita), 5000m (Sanjivani Jadav, Parul Chaudhary), 10,000m (Sanjivani, Seema), 100m Hurdles (Jyothi Yarraji), 400m (R Vithya Ramraj, Anu R), Long Jump (Shaili Singh, Ancy Sojan), High Jump (Pooja), Discus throw (Seema), Javelin Throw (Annu Rani), Heptathlon (Agasara Nandini)
4x100m: Nithya Gandhe, Abhinaya Rajarajan, Sneha S, Srabani Nanda, Daneshwari, V Sudeeksha
4x400m: Rupal, Sneha K, Subha Venkatesan, Jisna Mathew, Kunja Rajitha, Sandramol Sabu
