India have had a champion at the U20 Athletics World Championships in each of the last two editions. Neeraj Chopra threw the javelin longer than any man in this age group has done back in 2016 for his first major international breakthrough while Hima Das clinched gold medal in the women’s 400m in Tampere in 2018.
The 2021 edition of the World Athletics U20 Championships scheduled to be held in Nairobi, Kenya between 17-22 August will now begin one day later on Wednesday 18 August, finishing on Sunday 22 August. The impact of Covid on teams travelling and logistics of moving vital equipment around the world have proven to be a challenge, the governing body said in a release. The event was originally scheduled for 2020.
India's male athletes
| Athlete | Event | Age |
|---|---|---|
| AMIT | 10,000 METRES RACE WALK | 17 |
| CHAHAL, Sumit | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
| CHERANKULANGARA RASHEED, Abdul Razak | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 19 |
| DHALIWAL, Amandeep Singh | SHOT PUT (6KG) | 19 |
| JOLIYA, Sunil | 3000 METRES STEEPLECHASE | 18 |
| KAMBLE, Rohan Gautam | 400 METRES HURDLES | 19 |
| KAPIL | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 17 |
| KUMAR, Anu | 800 METRES | 18 |
| KUMAR, Vipin | HAMMER THROW (6KG) | 18 |
| KUMAR, Jay | JAVELIN THROW | 18 |
| KUMAR, Hardeep | 400 METRES HURDLES | 18 |
| MAKIMAIRAJ, Donald | TRIPLE JUMP | 19 |
| NALUBOTHU, Shanmuga Srinivas | 200 METRES | 18 |
| RANA, Kunwer Ajai Raj Singh | JAVELIN THROW | 19 |
| SELVARAJ, Nagarjunan. | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
| SHIRSE, Tejas | 110M HURDLES (99.0CM) | 19 |
| SRIDHAR, Barath | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
India's female athletes
| NAME | DISCIPLINE | Age |
|---|---|---|
| AGASARA, Nandini | 100 METRES HURDLES | 18 |
| ANKITA | 5000 METRES | 19 |
| BALJEET KAUR | 10,000 METRES RACE WALK | 19 |
| DEEPANSHI | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
| HABBATHANAHALLI MOHAN, Priya | 4X400 METRES RELAY,400 METRES | 18 |
| KUNJA, Rajitha | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
| POOJA | 800 METRES,1500 METRES | 19 |
| SINGH, Shaili | LONG JUMP | 17 |
| SUMMY | 400 METRES,4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
| VOHRA, Payal | 4X400 METRES RELAY | 18 |
Javelin Thrower Kunwar Ajai Raj Singh Rana and Long Jumper Shaili Singh will lead the Indian challenge in the World Athletics U20 Championships. The Indian squad left for the Kenyan capital late on Saturday evening, as per the Athletics Federation of India.
According to the entry lists released by World Athletics, U20 national champion Kunwar Ajai Raj Singh Rana is third in men’s Javelin Throw with a season’s best of 74.75m which was also his personal best, while Jay Kumar was second in that event and has a best of 72.29m, which puts him in the top 10 as well. Ukraine’s Artur Felfner, who has a 78.41m to his name, starts the favourite but this event will hold plenty of Indian interest once again.
Among women, Shaili Singh is fifth in women’s Long Jump with 6.48m. Italy’s Arianna Battistella has a PB of 6.55m and along with Shaili, is in a group of eight athletes to have gone past 6.40 this season.
If they can replicate their best form, they could be in the hunt to add to the medals won by Seema Antil (Discus Throw, 2002), Navjeet Kaur Dhillon (Discus Throw, 2014), Neeraj Chopra (Javelin Throw, 2016) and Hima Das (400m, 2018).
There are others like Triple Jumper Donald Makimaraj (sixth with 15.76m), Shot Putter Amandeep Singh Dhaliwal (eighth with 19.15m), Amit Khatri (third in 10,000m Race Walk), Priya H. Mohan (seventh in 400m) and Ankita Dhyani (sixth in 5000m) who can be in the mix for medals too.
According to the World Athletics, if Amit gets close to the national U20 record of 40:40.97 he set this season, he is a medal contender in 10km race walk. The governing body also has the women’s 4x400m relay among medal contenders.
Personal bests and season bests for men (relay not included):
AMIT, 10,000 Metres Race Walk: 40:28 PB, 40:40.97 SB
Amandeep Singh DHALIWAL, Shot Put (6kg): 19.15, 19.15
Rohan GAUTHAM, 400 Metres Hurdles: 52.49, 52.49
Sunil JOLIYA, 3000 Metres Steeplechase: 8:55.48, 8:55.48
Anu KUMAR, 800 Metres: 1:49.25 1:49.25
Hardeep KUMAR, 400 Metres Hurdles: 52.49 52.49
Jay KUMAR, Javelin Throw: 72.29 72.29
Vipin KUMAR, Hammer Throw (6kg): 68.94, 68.94
Donald MAKIMAIRAJ, Triple Jump: 15.76, 15.76
Shanmuga Srinivas NALUBOTHU, 200 Metres: 21.02 21.02
Kunwer Ajai Raj Singh RANA, Javelin Throw: 74.75, 74.75
Tejas SHIRSE, 110m Hurdles (99.0cm): 13.74. 13.74
Personal bests and season bests for women (relay not included):
Nandini AGASARA, 100 Metres Hurdles: 13.70 PB, 13.70 SB
ANKITA, 5000 Metres: 16:21.19, 16:21.19
BALJEET KAUR, 10,000 Metres Race Walk: 50:31, 49:50.71
Priya HABBATHANAHALLI MOHAN, 400 Metres: 53.29, 53.29
SUMMY, 400 Metres: 53.57, 53.57
POOJA, 800 Metres: 2:06.22, 2:07.96 & 1500 Metres: 4:19.58, 4:19.58
Shaili SINGH, Long Jump: 6.48, 6.48
Ann Rose TOMY, 100 Metres Hurdles: 13.98, 13.98
The team:
Boys: Nalubothu Shanmuga Srinivas (200m), Anu Kumar (800m), Sunil Joliya Jinabhai (3000m steeplechase), Tejas Ashok Shirse (110m hurdles), Hardeep and Rohan Kamble (400m hurdles), Amit (10000m race walk), Amandeep Dhaliwal (shot put), Kunwer Ajai Singh Rana and Jay Kumar (javelin throw), Vipin Kumar (hammer throw), Donald Makimaraj (Triple Jump), Bharth S, Kapil, Abdul Razak, Sumit Chahal and Nagarjunan S (4x400m relay);
Girls: Priya H Mohan and Summy (400m), Pooja (800m and 1500m), Ankita Dhyani (5000m), Agasara (100m hurdles), Shaili Singh (long jump), Baljeet Bajwa (10000m race walk), Priya H Mohan, Summy, Payal Vohra, Deepanshi and Kunja Rajitha (4x400m relay).
Watch India’s gold medals in the last two editions:
With AFI and World Athletics inputs
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