Indian Shot Putter Tajinder Pal Singh Toor and hurdler Jyothi Yarraji are among the Indian athletes to keep an eye on at the upcoming Asian Athletics Championships 2023. This event, which will be held in Bangkok from July 12 to 16, marks the 25th edition of the prestigious championship. After a 50-year hiatus, Thailand will once again welcome athletes from across Asia as the host country. The Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok has been chosen as the venue for this highly anticipated event, which will also serve as a qualification stage for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Unfortunately, the previous edition of the Asian Athletics Championships in Hangzhou, China, which was originally planned for May 2021, had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has only increased the anticipation and excitement for the upcoming championship. India has had a successful history in the event, with the country emerging as the leading country in the medal standings during the 2017 championships held in Bhubaneswar. Notably, P.T. Usha achieved remarkable success in the Asian Championship, earning a total of 23 medals, including an impressive 14 golds, during her tenure from 1983 to 1998.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has finalized the Indian team for the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 after carefully evaluating performances in the Federation Cup 2023 and earlier competitions until June 6. The Indian team consists of 28 men and 26 women, forming a powerhouse of talent ready to dominate the competition.
Due to the deadline for submissions to the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) on June 11, performances at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar from June 15 to 19 were not taken into consideration for the continental event. The Indian team includes notable athletes such as Tajinder Pal Singh Toor in shot put and Jyothi Yarraji in hurdles, among others.
Tajinder Pal Singh Toor, the Indian shot putter, is someone to watch out for in the upcoming championships. With a glorious gold medal from the 2018 Asian Games, Toor is undoubtedly one of the top contenders for a podium finish. He broke records set at the Asian Athletics Championships and Asian Games during the Federation Cup in Ranchi earlier this year. Toor recently surpassed his own Asian and national records with an astonishing throw of 21.77m at the National Inter-State Championships, proving his exceptional talent.
Jyothi Yarraji, the record-breaking star in the women’s 100m hurdles, is another athlete to keep an eye on. Despite her young age of 23, she has already made a name for herself in the world of athletics. Yarraji has earned numerous medals through outstanding performances in international competitions. She claimed the gold at the inter-state championships and secured her place in the Asian Athletics Championships with an impressive timing of 12.89 seconds at the Federation Cup 2023.
Murali Sreeshankar and Jeswin Aldrin are set to represent India in the fiercely competitive men’s long jump event. Sreeshankar recently stunned the athletics world with a phenomenal personal best leap of 8.41m at the National Inter-State Championships, showcasing his extraordinary talent.
However, there are some notable Indian athletes who will not be able to compete in the Asian Athletics Championships. Praveen Chithravel, the triple jumper, and Rohit Yadav, the javelin thrower, have withdrawn from the event, leaving a void in the Indian contingent. Jeswin Aldrin, who set a remarkable National record of 8.42m earlier this year, made the difficult decision to withdraw due to ongoing recovery from the weakness caused by a previous bout of Covid. Quartermilers Muhammed Anas and Anjali Devi will also not be able to participate due to their entries reaching the organizers late.
Unfortunately, the live telecast of the Asian Athletics Championships will not be available in India. However, fans can catch the live streaming on the Asian Athletics 2023 YouTube channel. The event schedule and start timings have been provided, including the timing of finals in Indian Standard Time (IST).
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