Neeraj Chopra To Lead 28-Member Squad in Paris Olympics

A 28-member Indian athletics team, led by men’s javelin throw defending champion Neeraj Chopra, will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced on June 04. Chopra made history three years ago by becoming the first Indian track and field athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, that too a gold. This time, the Indian javelin throw ace will have Olympic debutant Kishore Jena for company in his pet event.

About Summer Olympics 2024

The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad and officially branded as Paris 2024, is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 26 July (the date of the opening ceremony) to 11 August 2024 in France, with some competitions starting on 24 July. Paris is the main host city, with events held at 16 other cities spread across Metropolitan France, plus one subsite in Tahiti—an island within the French overseas country and overseas collectivity of French Polynesia.

Annu Rani and other Athlete

Annu Rani, who won the gold medal at the Asian Games last year 2023, will compete in the women’s javelin throw event. The 28-member athletics squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics includes eight athletes, who were part of the Indian contingent at the Tokyo Olympics. The Paris-bound squad includes 17 men and 11 women athletes. Besides Neeraj Chopra and Annu Rani, men’s 3000m steeplechase athlete Avinash Sable, one of Asia’s top men’s shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor, women’s race walker Priyanka Goswami and 4x400m relay runners Muhammed Anas, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan competed in Tokyo three years ago.

Asian Game 2023

Muhammed Anas, part of the Indian men’s 4x400m relay team, will be making his third straight appearance at the Summer Games. Ace hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, shot putter Abha Khatua and steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary will make their Olympic debuts. Parul Chaudhary, who will compete in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m race, is the only athlete chosen to compete in two individual events. She won the gold medal in the 5000m race at the Asian Games last year to go with a silver in the 3000m steeplechase. National record-holder Akshdeep Singh, Vikash Singh and Paramjeet Singh Bisht will compete in the men’s 20km race walk event while Suraj Panwar will feature in the mixed marathon event with Priyanka Goswami.

Athlete eligible for selection

Akshdeep Singh, Ram Baboo, Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht and Suraj Panwar were all eligible for selection for the men’s 20km race walk event at the Paris Olympics. Suraj made the cut through world rankings while the remaining four had breached the entry standard. However, with each country allowed a maximum of three athletes per event and one per gender in the mixed marathon race walk event, Ram Baboo missed out. Priyanka Goswami, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, will be the lone Indian in the women’s 20km race walk event at Paris. Murali Sreeshankar had met the entry standard in the men’s long jump but won’t be able to make it to the Paris-bound team due to an injury.