Asian shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor and high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, have decided to skip the World Athletics Championships 2023 to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19 to 27.
Toor had to withdraw after failing to recover from a groin injury he suffered during the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok last month. He heaved 20.23m to win the gold medal but sustained the injury during the event.
Tajinderpal Singh Toor had qualified for the world championships with an Asian record-setting throw of 21.77m at the inter-state championships in Bhubaneswar in June.
It will be the second straight world championships Tajinderpal Singh Toor will miss due to injury. The Indian shot putter withdrew from last year's edition at Eugene at the eleventh hour due to a groin injury.
Tejaswin Shankar, meanwhile, pulled out of the world championships to focus on the Asian Games 2023, scheduled to be held at Hangzhou, the People’s Republic of China, from September 23 to October 8.
"You have to be honest with yourself and I am very honest and clear about my chances," Tejaswin Shankar told ESPN. "My outdoor season's best this year is 2.21m, so how can I expect to jump 2.30m at the Worlds? When I haven't practiced enough, how can I expect to perform there?
"I see no point in going to the World Championships and jumping 2.16 or 2.20m and coming back empty-handed," the Indian added. "I would rather prepare for the Asian Games because I have a realistic chance of a medal there."
Tejaswin Shankar, who also competes in men’s decathlon, qualified for the men’s high jump event for the world athletics championships through world rankings. Tejaswin Shankar is India’s national record holder in high jump.
Priyanka Goswami, a national record holder in women’s 20km race walk, and runner KM Chanda also opted out of Budapest 2023 due to the Asian Games. Javelin thrower Rohit Yadav suffered an elbow injury last month and is also out of the contingent.
India’s 28-member contingent for the world meet will be led by Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra. The Indian javelin thrower ended India’s 19-year-long wait for a medal at the World Athletics Championships with a silver in the men’s javelin throw event in Oregon last year.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, hurdler Jyothi Yarraji and steeplechaser Avinash Sable will also be in action at the National Athletics Centre at Budapest 2023.