Afi president bahadur singh sagoo

AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo: The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday unveiled a strong 58-member Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships, scheduled to be held from May 27 to 31 in Gumi, South Korea. The announcement came a day after the conclusion of the Federation Cup in Kochi, which served as the final selection trial for the continental event.

Headlining the squad are some of India’s top track and field stars including triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, long jumper Shaili Singh, and sprinter Animesh Kujur, all of whom are expected to lead India’s medal hunt. India, currently third in the all-time medal tally of the Asian Championships behind China and Japan, will look to better its previous edition’s total of 27 medals including six gold in Bangkok 2023.

The selection process was stringent, with the AFI making it mandatory for athletes to meet qualification standards at the Federation Cup and finish in the top two positions to be considered. AFI President Bahadur Singh Sagoo and chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair reiterated the importance of recent form in the final decision.