Neeraj Chopra to skip Asian Athletics Championships, focuses on global events
text_fields
India’s star javelin thrower and double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra will not participate in the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships in South Korea.
His attention is firmly set on international competitions such as the Diamond League and the World Championships scheduled for September.
Chopra is also preparing to host the NC Classic in Bengaluru on May 24.
Chopra, who last competed in the continental championship in 2017 in Bhubaneswar — where he secured a gold medal — has since opted to focus on major global meets over regional events. His absence from the South Korea championship, taking place from May 27 to 31 in Gumi, had been anticipated.
On Friday, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced a 59-member Indian contingent, largely comprising athletes who performed well at the recently concluded Federation Cup in Kochi. Notably, national record-holding shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, who clinched gold in the last Asian Championships, did not make the cut this time after a sub-par second-place finish in Kochi.
Pole vaulter Dev Kumar Meena, despite breaking his own national record, also missed selection as his mark fell short of the AFI’s qualifying standard. However, several top performers who were training or competing abroad with AFI’s approval — including Avinash Sable (men’s 3000m steeplechase), Parul Chaudhary (women’s 3000m steeplechase), and Gulveer Singh (5000m and 10,000m) — were included in the team.
Others named in the squad include sprinter Animesh Kujur, who recently set a national record in the 200m, and triple jumper Praveen Chitravel, who equalled his national record at the Federation Cup. Annu Rani, India’s national record holder in women’s javelin, also secured a spot thanks to her earlier 58.82m throw at the Indian Open Throws Competition in March, despite falling short of the qualification mark during the Federation Cup.
The Federation Cup served as the final selection meet for the Asian Championships, with participation mandatory unless athletes had prior exemptions. In the previous edition held in Bangkok, India finished third behind China and Japan, securing a total of 27 medals — 6 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze.
