Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Vikas Gowda (in pic) will spearhead the Indian challenge in the Asian Athletics Championships to be held in Wuhan, China from June 3-7 while his female counterpart Seema Punia has been left out. Athletics Federation of India on Thursday named 29 athletes (14 men and 15 women) which will be increased later after trials are conducted in two individual events and four relay races.
Gowda, who will defend his title he had won in Pune in the last edition in 2013, has been named in the team but Seema Punia, who won a gold in 2014 Asian Games in Incheon and a silver in 2014 CWG in Glasgow, has been left out as she is yet to achieve full fitness. Triple jumper Arpinder Singh, missed the cut while shot putter Inderjeet Singh, M R Poovamma (400m), Tintu luka (800m) and lalita Babar (3000m steeplechase) have been included.
Javelin thrower Annu Rani, who won a bronze in Incheon, and national record holder pole vaulter V Surekha were included in the team subject to a fitness trial to be held on May 27. Promising sprinter Dutee Chand, who was allowed to take part in the Wuhan Asian Championships in an interim order while her appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland against the IAAF's Hyperandrogenism policy is pending, missed the cut.
The Team
Men: Dharambir Singh (200m), Rajeev Arokya (400m), Jinson Jhonson (800m), G laxmanan (5000m), Naveen Kumar (3000m Steeplechase), Jaiveer Singh (3000m Steeplechase), Sidhant Thingalaya (110m Huredle; subject to fitness), Durgesh Kumar Pal (400m Hurdles), K Prem Kumar (long Jump), Inderjeet Singh (Shot Put), Vikas Gowda (Discus Throw), Arjun (Discus Throw), Devender Singh (Javelin Throw), Neeraj Chopra (Javelin).
Women: Srabani Nanda (100m and 200m), M R Poovamma (400m), Tintu luka (800m), M Gomathi (800m), lalita Babar (3000m Steeplechase), G Gayathry (100m Hurdle), T Deepika (100m Hurdle), Anu Raghavan (400m Hurdle), V Surekha (Pole Vault; Subject to Trial), Mayookha Johny (long Jump), Navjeet Kaur Dhillon (Discus Throw), Suman Devi (Javelin Throw), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw; Subject to Trial) Purnima Hembram (Heptathlon), liksy Joseph (Heptathlon).