Eight track and field athletes were included in the core group of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) at the 50th MOC meeting held on November 26. Seven such athletes were included in the TOPS developmental group.
The decision to include athletes in the TOPS core group was based on their performance progression and their qualification or high probability of qualification for the Tokyo Olympics scheduled next year.
The athletes inducted into the TOPS scheme include Shivpal Singh (Men’s Javelin Throw and qualified for Olympics), Annu Rani (Women’s Javelin Throw), KT Irfan (Men’s 20km walk and qualified for Olympics), Arokia Rajiv (Men’s 400m and 4x400m relay), Noah Nirmal Tom (Men’s 400m and 4x400m relay), Alex Anthony (Men’s 400m and 4x400m relay), MR Poovamma (Women’s 400m and 4x400m relay) and Dutee Chand (Women’s 100m and 200m).
India earned an Olympic quota in the Mixed 4x400m relay at the 2019 World Championships. Following performance review, nine athletes who are part of the TOPS have been retained including Neeraj Chopra, Hima Das and Tajinder Pal Singh Toor. Triple Jumper Arpinder Singh was excluded from the TOPS.
The seven athletes included in TOPS developmental group are Harsh Kumar (Men’s 400m and 4x400m relay), Veeramani Revathi (Women’s 400m and 4x400m relay), Vithya R (Women’s 400m and 4x400m relay), Tejaswin Shankar (Men’s High Jump), Shaili Singh (Women’s Long Jump), Sandra Babu (Women’s Triple Jump) and Harshita Sehrawat (Women’s Hammer Throw)