Asian athletics: Hima in spotlight on Day 1

Doha, April 20

Indian athletes are expected to win a substantial number of medals at the Asian Athletics Championships, which begins here tomorrow, but the contingent is unlikely to repeat its unprecedented top-of-the-table finish in the last edition of the event in 2017.

The women’s 400m race will be the most anticipated one on the first day of competition as Hima Das will be running in the preliminary round in the morning while the final will be held in the evening. Also in action tomorrow would be Annu Rani and Kumari Sharmila in the women’s javelin throw final, Parul Chaudhary and Sanjivani Jadhav in the women’s 5000m final, Avinash Sable and Shankar Lal Swami in the men’s 3000m steeplechase final, and Gavit Murali Kumar and Abhishek Pal in the men’s 10000m final.

India had finished on top of the table with a record-breaking haul of 29 medals (12 gold, 5 silver, 12 bronze) in the 2017 Championships in Bhubaneswar. But this time, the 42-member Indian team is not expected to achieve that kind of success with several athletes, including javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, missing out of the continental flagship event due to various reasons, including injuries. 

National record holders Dharun Ayyasamy (400m hurdles), M Sreeshankar (long jump) and Asian Games 800m gold medallist Manjit Singh were also not named in the team due to injuries. — PTI