File picture of Neeraj Chopra. PTI
Olympic champion and javelin celebrity Neeraj Chopra would be the centre of all consideration as India begin their athletics marketing campaign within the Asian Video games on Friday. The crew might be aiming to surpass the medal rely of 20 achieved within the final version. Chopra was slated to guide a 65-strong crew. Within the 2018 Asian Video games, athletics had contributed 20 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, 3 bronze) to India’s whole of 70.
Anju Bobby George, who created historical past when she clinched a bronze medal on the 2003 World Championships in Paris, feels that the Indian contingent is about for a “huge haul”.
“All the athletes are well prepared and though I would not want to put a number to it, it will be a huge haul in athletics. I am expecting a medal in every discipline,” she stated in a digital media interplay organised by Sony Sports activities Community.
“In long jump Shaili (Singh), (Murali) Sreeshankar, Jeswin (Aldrin) are all doing exceptionally well. Javelin too, has apart from Neeraj, a strong medal prospect in Kishore Jena.”
On being requested who can win gold medals for India, she replied: “Jumps, throws, relay, Avinash Sable. All of the athletes will try to get medals, especially gold.”
Anju added {that a} good efficiency by India on the Asian Video games might be supreme preparation for the Paris Olympics which takes place in 2024.
“Within a few months, there are the Olympics, so they have to prepare. In terms of medals, we have to see how many we can get. Another question is how many will be gold. I think, if they do well here that will help as they can actually perform better at the Olympics. It is an indicator of our preparation for the Olympics,” she stated.
Anju additionally spoke about her protege, Shaili Singh, who missed out on gold on the Asian Athletics Championships in 2023.
“Shaili is just this 19-year-old. The silver medal was a setback for her because of her injury but after that, she bounced back she started training and she recorded a 6.76m jump this year. After that, unfortunately, she got COVID and she was getting back again. But now she’s all well and she’s getting ready,” Anju stated.
“I don’t want to push her beyond her capacity because she can touch seven metres of course but we don’t need now. In maybe one or two years we can achieve that but everything is going at a steady pace.”
For the younger athletes who will participate within the Asian Video games for the primary time, Anju suggested them to view it as a stepping stone towards the Olympics and World Championships.
Hangzhou 2022 Asian Video games is being broadcast LIVE on Sony Sports activities Ten 1, Sony Sports activities Ten 2, Sony Sports activities Ten 3, Sony Sports activities Ten 4, and Sony Sports activities Ten 5 channels (SD & HD) with Hindi and English commentary and might be stay streamed on Sony LIV.