Shot putter
The Indian athletics contingent, comprising 75 members, heads into the competition with high expectations, aiming for a total haul of more than 20 medals. While the team faces challenges due to injuries and fluctuating form, the squad remains focused on building upon the momentum of previous editions. The campaign is set to open on Thursday with participation in the women's triple jump, the 10,000m, and the 4x400m mixed relay, with the latter event viewed as a strong contender for India's first athletics medal of the games.
Key Contenders and Squad Outlook
In the absence of star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who ended his season early due to injury, the responsibility of maintaining India's presence on the podium falls to a mix of seasoned campaigners and emerging talents. Rohit Yadav and Yashvir will represent India in the javelin throw, both having cleared the 85m mark this season. However, they face stiff competition from Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage, who currently leads the world rankings with multiple throws exceeding 90m.
Other notable athletes looking to improve on their previous performances include long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and distance runner Gulveer Singh, who secured silver and bronze respectively in the last edition. Sreeshankar has maintained consistent form with jumps over 8m throughout the year, while Gulveer is entered in the 1,500m, 5,000m, and 10,000m events. Meanwhile, steeplechaser Avinash Sable returns to the track following a lengthy injury layoff, having demonstrated his fitness during the recent Indian Athletics Final Series.
Chasing Podium Finishes
The squad also features national record holder Tejaswin Shankar in the decathlon, where he will face a difficult challenge from local favourite Yuma Maruyama. Maruyama currently leads the Asian rankings with 8,321 points. In the women's events, long jumper Ancy Sojan enters the competition as the current Asian leader and is considered a strong gold medal prospect.
Despite the high ambitions, the team is managing several fitness concerns. Athletes such as triple jumper Praveen Chithravel and 100m hurdler Jyothi Yarraji have been dealing with minor injuries heading into the event. While the team aims to replicate or exceed the success of previous years, the focus remains on navigating the competitive field in Nagoya to secure at least 25 podium finishes, a target set by the contingent as they look to bolster India's overall medal tally.
