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The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced a 24-member team that will compete at the IAAF World Championships in 14 different disciplines. The marquee event will be held in London, starting on August 4.
Out of the 24 athletes, 14 are men, who will take part in eight events, while the remaining 10 women will compete across a total of six disciplines.
Along with the athletes, a 13-member contingent consisting of team officials, coaches, masseurs and team doctor will also accompany the team. It includes the legendary PT Usha and Anju Bobby George, who till date remains the only Indian to win a medal at the World Championships.
Indian athletics hit a high earlier this month after the nation hosted and finished first at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneshwar, ahead of nations such as China, Japan, Qatar and Bahrain. India ended the competition with a total of 29 medals, which consisted of 12 gold, five silver and 12 bronze medals.
However, a few days back, a shocking story emerged as former world number one and national record holder in the women's shot put, Manpreet Kaur, was provisionally suspended after a urine sample of hers taken at the Asian Athletics Grand Prix tested positive of a steroid along with stimulant dimethylbutylamine.
Here is the Indian contingent in full:
Men:
20km walk: Irfan Kolothum Thodi, Devender Singh and Ganapathi Krishnan; 400m & 4x400m relay: Muhammed Anas Yahiya; 5000m & 10000m: Lakshmanan Govindan; 110m hurdles: Siddhanth Thingalaya; Marathon: Gopi Thonakal; Javelin Throw: Neeraj Chopra and Davinder Singh Kang; 4x400m Relay: Arokia Rajiv, Amoj Jacob, Kunhu Mohammed, Mohan Kumar Raja, Sachin Roby.
Women:
20 km walk: Khushbir Kaur; 400m & 4x400m relay: Nirmala; Heptathlon: Swapna Barman; Marathon: Monika Motiram Athare; Javelin Throw: Annu Rani; 4x400m relay: Poovamma Raju Machettira, Jisna Mathew, Anilda Thomas, Jauna Murmu, Anu Raghavan.
Team officials & coaches:
Vishal Kumar Dev, IAS, (team leader); Tony Daniel (team manager), Radha Krishnan Nair (deputy chief coach), Galina Bukharina (coach), PT Usha (coach), Surendra Singh (coach), Alexander Arstybashev (coach), Raj Mohan (coach), Bahadur Singh Chauhan (coach), Anju Bobby George (coach/observer), Arun Mendiratta (team doctor), Pawan Kumar (male masseur), Kinga Lidia (female masseur)
