NEW DELHI: Reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra will spearhead India’s 19-member contingent at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo, which will run from September 13 to 21.
In India’s contingent, rising sensation Animesh Kujur made history by becoming the first male sprinter from the country to qualify for the World Athletics Championships. India’s contingent comprises 13 men and six women athletes, according to the Olympics.com website.
Neeraj, who is the defending champion in the men’s javelin throw event, qualified through a wild card entry. He will feature in the men’s javelin throw event alongside Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh, both of whom secured berths via the world rankings.
India also had athletes who qualified through entry standards, including Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase), Parul Chaudhary (3000m steeplechase), Gulveer Singh (5000m) and Praveen Chitravel (triple jump). However, Sable has been ruled out of the Championships due to an injury that cut short his season.
The remaining athletes qualified through their world rankings. Long jump athlete Murali Sreeshankar, who has won every competition he has contested in since returning from injury, failed to breach the qualification mark. He made an 8.06m leap to win the gold, but fell short of the 8.27m men’s long jump qualifying mark for the World Athletics Championships.
Along with Sreeshankar, women’s javelin thrower Annu Rani, whose consistent 60m-plus efforts have underlined her form this season, also earned the qualification through world rankings.
The breakthrough story belongs to Animesh, the national record-holder in the 100m and 200m categories. He will compete in the men’s 200m, marking the first time India has represented the event at a global stage.
Nandini Agasara booked her place in the heptathlon as the Asian (Area) champion. However, she will miss the World Championships after sustaining an elbow injury.
A look at India’s 19-member contingent for World Athletics Championships 2025:
Wildcard: Neeraj Chopra (Men’s Javelin Throw: Defending Champion)
By meeting entry standard: Praveen Chithravel (Men’s Triple Jump), Gulveer Singh (Men’s 5000m), Avinash Sable (Men’s 3000m Steeplechase), Parul Chaudhary (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase)
Through World Rankings: Animesh Kujur (Men’s 200m), Annu Rani (Women’s Javelin Throw), Sachin Yadav (Men’s Javelin Throw), Yash Vir Singh (Men’s Javelin Throw), Ankita Dhyani (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase), Murali Sreeshankar (Men’s Long Jump), Abdulla Aboobacker (Men’s Triple Jump), Sarvesh Kushare (Men’s High Jump), Nandini Agasara (Heptathlon), Pooja (Women’s 1500m), Servin Sebastian (Men’s 20km Race Walk), Akshdeep Singh (Men’s 20km Race Walk), Ram Baboo (Men’s 35km Race Walk), Priyanka Goswami (Women’s 35km Race Walk). (ANI)
