Page 8 - Athletics

Vithya Ramraj misses PT Usha's record in 400mh by 1/100th of a second

Tamil Nadu's Asian Games-bound R Vithya Ramraj came agonisingly close to breaking the legendary PT Usha's 39-year-old women's 400m hurdles record as she clocked 55.43 seconds during the Indian Grand Prix 5 here on Monday. The 24-year-old Vithya's time was just one hundredth of a second less than Usha's 55.42 which she had clocked while finishing fourth in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. It's the second longest standing national record. Usha is currently serving as the president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

AFI looking to add 15 more athletes to its already announced 65-member team

Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is hoping to add 15 more track and field athletes to the 65 already named for the Hangzhou Asian Games if they achieve the qualification criteria during the two-day Indian Grand Prix beginning here on Sunday. Around half of the athletes named in the Asian Games-bound team have made their entries in the event, though some top athletes and those training abroad will not be seen in action. "The Indian contingent will be bigger and stronger this time. We have shortlisted 65 athletes and there are chances to add another 15 athletes depending whether they achieve the qualification criteria set by the AFI during the two-day IGP," Sumariwalla said here. Those who have made it to the Asian Games and also entered their names here include javelin thrower Kishore Kumar Jena, shot putter Sahib Singh, Jinson Johnson (1500m), Mohammed Afsal (800m), Yashas Palaksha (400m hurdles), Jesse Sandesh (high jump), quarter-milers Arokia Rajiv, Rajesh Ramesh, Nihal Joel .

Sreeshankar pulls out of Diamond League Final, to focus on Asiad 2023

Star Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar has pulled out of the prestigious Diamond League Final in USA later this month to focus on the Hangzhou Asian Games beginning on September 23. Sreeshankar made the decision after taking into account that he would need a lot of travel if he has to take part in the September 17 DL Final in Eugene, which may have an impact on his body and disrupt training. "Sreeshankar is not taking part in the DL Final in Eugene to focus on the Asian Games. Taking part in the DL Final will involve a lot of travel, jet lag etc," Sreeshankar's father S Murali told PTI. Despite finishing fifth in the Zurich leg of the Diamond League on August 31 with a jump of 7.99m, Sreeshankar qualified for the DL Finals in third place on the standings with 14 points. Sreeshankar, who has a season's and personal best of 8.41m, had failed to qualify for the finals in the World Championships in Budapest last month. The 24-year-old had won a silver medal with a jump of 8.37m in

Hima Das provisionally suspended by NADA for three whereabout failures

Star India sprinter Hima Das has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for three whereabout failures in 12 months, according to sources. The 23-year-old Assam runner has not been named in the Hangzhou Asian Games team due to an injury she had sustained earlier this year. "Yes, she has committed three whereabout failures in one year period and so she has been provisionally suspended by the NADA," an Indian team official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. Hima, who has already left the national camp, faces a maximum two-year ban, which can be reduced to a minimum of one year depending on the degree of her fault. Hima had won a 400m individual silver at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games. She was also a part of the gold and silver winning women's 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay quartets in Jakarta. Under the World Athletics Anti-Doping (WADA) rules, any combination of three whereabouts failures -- filing failure and/or missed test -- within a period of 12 .

Sable 5th in Xiamen, becomes third Indian to enter Diamond League final

India's Avinash Sable finished a creditable fifth in the men's 3000m steeplechase event of the Xiamen leg Diamond League Meeting on Saturday to qualify for the grand finale in Eugene, USA later this month. The 28-year-old Sable, who had failed to qualify for the final round in the World Championships in Hungary last month, clocked 8 minutes 16.27 seconds, well below his season's best of 8:11.63 and national record time of 8:11.20. Olympic and world champion Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco won the race with a time of 8:10.31, while Samuel Firewu (8:11.29) of Ethiopia and Amos Serem (8:14.41) of Kenya were second and third respectively. Sable, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, collected four points from the race for a total of 11 points from four events this season. He qualified for the September 16 Diamond League finals in Eugene, USA, at sixth place. This will be his maiden Diamond League final appearance. He will join Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj ..

Neeraj Chopra's preparatory camp in Switzerland gets ministry approval

Reigning Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra's preparatory camp in Switzerland on Friday got the nod from the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), which also announced other approvals. Chopra will undergo a 12-day training camp in Magglingen, Switzerland ahead of the Diamond League final to be organised in Eugene, USA, later this month. A total of INR 5.89 lakh have been sanctioned for the camp to be held from September 1-12, a release said. Chopra finished second in the Diamond League event in Zurich on Thursday after recording his best throw of 85.71m. Parul Chaudhary, who recorded a national record time of 9:15.31s in the women's 3000m steeplechase event in Budapest and sealed a Paris Olympics quota, has been included in the TOPS Core Group. Ace table tennis player Sharath Kamal received a financial sanction to participate in various events, procure equipment and hire a personal coach in Chris Pfeiffer till the Paris Olympics next year. The star Indian badminton pair of Satwiksair

I was competing with myself, not with Neeraj Chopra: Arshad Nadeem

Pakistan's World Championships silver medallist javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem does not consider Indian gold winner Neeraj Chopra as his main rival, saying he competes with himself. Nadeem on Sunday became the first athlete from Pakistan to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, while Olympic champion Chopra won the gold. Asked if Chopra was his main rival in the World Championships, Nadeem said, "No. I myself is the only competitor to Arshad Nadeem. I did not think I was competing to win against anybody." Chopra won gold with a throw of 88.17m while reigning Commonwealth Games gold medallist Nadeem took the silver with his season's best throw of 87.82m. Nadeem said he was happy at Chopra winning the gold. "At the world level, two Asians finished first and second. Neeraj bhai won the gold medal and I am very happy. Sometimes he will win the gold, sometimes I will," Nadeem was quoted as saying by 'BBC'. "I went to Guwahati in India for South-Asian Ga

Roger Federer in attendance during Neeraj Chopra's event in Diamond League

Federer, his wife Mirka, and one of their daughters were among the 25,000 crowds watching what one called a 'mini Olympics' - the one-day spectacle of Diamond League.

Zurich Diamond League Highlights: Neeraj Chopra finishes 2nd; Yakub at top

Neeraj Chopra remains at the third spot in Diamond League standings with total points of 23 behind Czech's Yakub Vadlejch (29) and Germany's Julian Weber (25)

India set to bid for 2027 World Athletics Championships: Neeraj Chopra

India will be bidding for the 2027 World Athletics Championships, claims Olympic and World Championship gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra here on Wednesday. Asked during a press conference on the eve of the Diamond League meet about India's possibility of hosting the World Championships in 2027, Chopra said: "They (India) are bidding. I will request them (fans), and hopefully, they will come in great capacity)." "Now, javelin (throw) is famous in India. I have always said in Indian interviews that we need to understand athletics and be knowledgeable about it because athletics is not only javelin throw. There are so many events involved (in athletics). So, if they don't come, I will push them (to come). "The Indian people are so supportive, and they are now following athletics and taking interest in athletics. Three javelin throwers from India have finished in best six in Budapest (recently-concluded World Championships)." According to people in the know how of developmen

Here's how Neeraj Chopra achieved best fitness ahead of historic feat

No Sugar, no cold drinks and a lot of Gymnastics were Neeraj Chopra's go-to mantra apart from medications to come back from injury. It required mental strength more than physical for Chopra to recover

'Wanted to throw more than 90m but..': Neeraj Chopra on World Athletics win

After the second round, I considered pushing myself because I knew I could get a better throw, but there is a lot of pressure on technique and speed, says Neeraj Chopra

'India is proud': President Droupadi Murmu congratulates Neeraj Chopra

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday congratulated Neeraj Chopra for becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships and said his performance will inspire millions of the country's youth. "India is proud of Neeraj Chopra. I convey my heartiest congratulations to him. I wish his legend grows with more such feats," she said. Chopra on Sunday scripted history by winning the gold with a big throw of 88.17m in the men's javelin final at the Championships in Budapest, Hungary. "Neeraj Chopra adds yet another golden page to the history of Indian sports by becoming the first ever Indian to win a gold medal in World Athletics Championships. His superlative performance in the javelin throw finals at Budapest will inspire millions of our youth," the President said on microblogging site X. In another first, three Indians finished in top eight with Kishore Jena (84.77m) and DP Manu (84.14m) taking the fifth and sixth spots, respectively. Never before did three .

'He exemplifies excellence': PM Modi lauds Neeraj Chopra for historic feat

This is Neeraj's second medal at the World Championships after he secured a silver last year

Neeraj Chopra's record: The 'Golden Boy' now has everything javelin offers

Olympic and World Champion Neeraj Chopra has won gold in Asian Games (2018) and CWG (2018), besides four individual Diamond League Meeting titles and the Diamond League champion's trophy last year.

Army congratulates Neeraj Chopra on bagging 1st-ever World Athletics Gold

Neeraj recorded his best throw of 88.17 m in his second attempt and managed to keep his lead intact till the very end

Parul qualifies for Paris Olympics; Men's 4x400M relay team finishes 5th

he Indian men's 4x400 metres relay team ended in the fifth position in the 4x400 metres relay race final at the World Athletics Championships 2023.

The Neeraj Chopra story: A chubby village kid to Indian sporting pantheon

For someone who was cajoled into taking up sport to shed weight, Neeraj Chopra's rise to stardom from a Haryana village has been nothing short of spectacular, and at 25, he is on course to becoming one of India's greatest sporting icons. Two years ago, his spear soared high into the Tokyo sky as he became the country's first Olympics track and field gold medal winner. He was just 23, as he became only the second Indian to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics after legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra. A star was born overnight in a country that had for long craved for the ultimate success in sport's biggest platform. Before Bindra, who won the 10m air rifle gold in 2008 Beijing Olympics, India's eight other yellow metals at the Games had come from hockey, a team game. With his gold medal on Sunday in the World Championships, the legend of Chopra continued to grow. He is now only the second Indian -- again after Bindra -- to simultaneously hold the Olympics and World Championsh

Die if you have to, but don't let him go: Indian men's relay team's war cry

The Indian men's 4x400m relay team ran the race of their life, breaking national and Asian records and nearly overtaking the USA in the heats of the World Athletics Championships 2023

World Athletics 2023: 4x400m men's team, Parul Chaudhary's journey to final

Apart from 3 Javelin throwers, India's men's 4x400m relay team and 3000m steeple-chase runner Parul Chaudhary also made it to the final of their events at the World Athletics Championships 2023