Neeraj to Lead India's Challenge at Tokyo Worlds

TWO-TIME Olympic Medallist and defending world champion Neeraj Chopra will lead India's 19-member team at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, which begins from September 13.

- CHANDRA PRABHU @ Chennai

TWO-TIME Olympic Medallist and defending world champion Neeraj Chopra will lead India's 19-member team at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, which begins from September 13. He comes on the back of a modest performance in the Diamond League final in Zurich recently, finishing second with a throw of 85.01 metres. He breached the 90-metre-mark in Doha earlier this year and has consistently thrown around that mark this season. This performance, however, is uncharacteristic of Chopra. Athletics Federation of India (AFI) spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla said that the star thrower will work on his timing.

"He had a little timing issue, which he himself has gone on the record to say. He has slightly made adjustments from what I understand on his approach and throw. Once he gets the timing right, he is going to be absolutely fine in the World Championships," he said in the press conference announcing the list of qualified athletes on Sunday.

LIST OF QUALIFIED ATHLETES