Asian Games: Despite Neeraj’s absence, Indian athletics could turn in a fine show

Neeraj Chopra and Gulveer Singh

Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who led India’s 1-2 finish in the men’s event at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, is out with an injury. Two-time defending champion in men’s shot put Tajinderpal Singh is not in his best form and women’s javelin throw gold medallist Annu Rani failed to make the cut.

Will it then be a tough outing for India’s athletes?The answer could surprise many because the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has nurtured a new breed of talented athletes capable of repeating or even improving the performance from the last edition of the Games held in China.

Gulveer, the new star

The focus will be on Gulveer Singh, who has now risen in stature as is earning recognition among the finest long distance runners India has produced.

The Services runner, who trains in the US, settled for the bronze medal in the last Games but this time he will start as a gold medal contender. Gulveer’s time of 27 minutes, 24.28s clocked in March, is the 12th fastest in the world this season.

Usha’s record under threat

In the women’s section, athletics fans will be gunning for an Indian double in the long jump and the 400m hurdles. Ancy Sojan will be the flag bearer in the long jump. Her big leap of 6.88m at the National Inter-State athletics meet erased Anju Bobby George’s long-standing mark of 6.83m set in 1994.

Shaili Singh is expected to give Ancy a strong challenge. So far, it has been Ancy all the way but Shaili is capable of producing an upset win.The oldest record in Indian athletics, PT Usha’s 55.42s in the women’s 400m hurdles, will again come under threat with last edition’s bronze winner Vithya Ramraj and Anu Raghavan, whose standing at the 2010 Games was upgraded from 4th to third, ready for a grand stand finish. Both clocked their season’s best in Bhubaneswar in June; Vithya won the race in 56.07s and Anu finished second in 56.54s.

Sreeshankar, Kushare and Tejaswin

The trio of Murali Sreeshankar (8.38m, Asian leader, men’s long jump), Sarvesh Anil Kushare (2.31m Asian lead, men’s high jump) and Tejaswin Shankar (8057 points, Asia second, decathlon) will all eye the top step on the podium.With impressive performances this season, the trio will look to add a title here to their collection. The return of Avinash Sable (defending champion in men’s 3000m steeplechase), after missing the Commonwealth Games, will be watched keenly.

The other medal contenders include Sawan Barwal (men’s marathon), Praveen Chitravel (men’s triple jump), Rohit Yadav (men’s javelin throw), Toor (men’s shot put), Parul Chaudhary (women’s 5000m) and Jyothi Yarraji (women’s 100m hurdles), men’s 4x400m relay, women’s 4x400m relay and mixed 4x400m relay teams.