Summary: The five-day domestic competition starting Tuesday will be the last chance for aspiring Indian athletes to win tickets to Tokyo World Athletics Championships in Japan.
Javelin thrower Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav have their task cut out for the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships starting Wednesday at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai.
The five-day domestic competition will be the last chance for aspiring Indian athletes to win tickets to September 13 to 21 Tokyo World Athletics Championships in Japan.
The automatic qualification in men’s javelin is 85.50m but athletes also have a chance to qualify through world ranking quota before the August 24 deadline. “Both Yashvir Singh and Rohit Yadav should do exceedingly well here in Chennai to improve their global ranking to be eligible to compete in Worlds in Tokyo,” chief national athletics coach Radhakrishnan Nair said.
Rohit Yadav, 25, season best is 80.47m. Yashvir Singh, 23, has a season best of 82.57m. The men’s javelin final in Chennai is scheduled for August 24.
As per rules of the World Athletics, each national federation is allotted three quota places for the global meet. But in the case of a wild card, four athletes are eligible. By virtue of defending champion, India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has a wild card entry.
Sachin Yadav, the second best Indian javelin thrower, is eligible through world ranking quota (22nd). Only 36 athletes are eligible to compete in men’s javelin in Tokyo.
Annu Rani
India’s Asian Games champion, Annu Rani also has good ranking points and is eligible to compete in Japan, says chief national athletics coach. “She (Annu) is competing here in Chennai to further improve her season best of 62.59m she had recorded earlier this month in Poland,” Nair added. “She also won first place at the Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar on August 10 with a throw of 62.01m.”
At the Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar, Rohit Yadav finished fourth (80.35m) but one of his throws went out of the throwing sector which was plus 84m, says Nair.
Murali Sreeshankar
Focus will also be on Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist in men’s long jump, Murali Sreeshankar. The Kerala’s international jumper on his return to competition after a long layoff due to injury has been impressive. “He (Sreeshankar) is fit. He should be able to achieve an automatic qualification mark of 8.27m in long jump in Chennai,” the long jumper father-cum-coach S Murali said on Tuesday.
On his way to the long jump title, Sreeshankar recorded a jump of 8.13, at Continental Tour in Bhubaneswar.
Apart from Sreeshankar, Lokesh Sathyanathan of Karnataka also has a good chance to make the cut for the Worlds, says chief national athletics coach.
Animesh Kujur
Away from field events, India’s top sprinter, Animesh Kujur, also has a good chance to make his debut at the 2025 edition of the World Championships in Japan. “He (Animesh) has good world ranking points. A good race in Chennai will further enhance his chances to stay in the race to earn valuable world ranking points,” added Nair.
The men’s 200m preliminary round is scheduled for August 22. The semis and final will be conducted on August 23.
Uttarakhand 3000m steeplechase runner, Ankita, is also in the race to board the flight to Tokyo. “She (Ankita) has to clock 9 minutes 30 seconds or faster for the 3000m steeplechase to be eligible to compete in Tokyo,” chief national athletics coach said.
The women’s 3000m steeplechase is scheduled for August 24.
