India's double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is set to skip the upcoming Asian Athletics Championship in South Korea which will take place from May 27 to May 31. On April 25, India named a 59-member team for the mega event. Athletes who proved their mettle in recently-concluded Federartion Cup in Kochi were given a chance.
Chopra has skipped the Asian event as he will continue to focus on the Diamond League and the World Championships which is scheduled to take place in September. Also, he is hosting the inaugural edition of NC Classic in Bengaluru on May 24 where he has invited javelin throwers from around the globe.
This isn't the first time, Chopra has skipped the Asian Athletics Championships. The last time he played in the event was in the 2017 edition. In Bhubaneswar, he won a gold medal. Then, he shifted focus to the Diamond League meetings, Olympics and the World Championships.
In Chopra's absence, Sachin Yadav and Yasvir Singh will be carrying India's hopes on their shoulders in the javelin event.
In the last edition of the Asian Athletics Championships, India bagged a total of 27 medals including six gold, 12 silver and nine bronze. India were only behind Japan and China in the event hosted in Bangkok.
India's squad for Asian Athletics Championship
Men: Animesh Kujur (200m), Anu Kumar and Krishan Kumar (800m), Yoonus Shah (1500m), Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase), Gulveer Singh and Abhishek Pal (5000m), Gulveer Singh and Sawan Barwal (10,000m), Praveen Chithravel and Abudlla Aboobacker (triple jump), Sarvesh Kushare (high jump), Sachin Yadav and Yasvir Singh (javelin throw), Samardeep Singh (shot put), Tejaswin Shankar (decathlon), Servin Sebastian and Amit (20km race walk).
4x100m relay: Pranav Pramod Gurav, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidar, Amlan Borgohain, Tamilarasu S, Ragul Kumar G, Gurvindervir Singh.
4x400m relay: Vishal TK, Jay Kumar, Manu TS, Rince Joseph, Tushar Manna, Santhosh Kumar, Dharamveer Choudhary, Mohit Kumar.
Women: Nithya Gandhe (200m), Rupal Chaudhary and Vithya Ramraj (400m), Twinkle Chaudhary and Pooja (800m), Lili Das and Pooja (1500m), Parul Chaudhary and Ankita (3000m steeplechase), Sanjivani Jadav and Parul Chaudhary (5000m), Sanjivani Jadhav and Seema (10,000m), Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles), R Vithya Ramraj and Anu R (400m), Shaili Singh and Ancy Sojan (long jump), Pooja (high jump), Seema (discus throw), Annu Rani (javelin throw), Agsara Nandini (heptathlon).
4x100m relay: Nithya Gandhe, Abinaya Rajarajan, Sneha SS, Srabani Nanda, Daneshwari AT, V Sudheeksha.
4x400m relay: Rupal Chaudhary, Sneha K, Subha Venkatesan, Jisna Mathew, Kunja Rajitha, Sarndramol Sabu.