Dhanalakshmi, Dutee Chand, Hima Das for World Athletics Relays
A 20-member Indian team has been named for the Polish meet, an Olympic qualification event.
Upcoming sprinter Dhanalakshmi Sekar, who beat Indian sprint aces Dutee Chand and Hima Das at the Federation Cup last month, has been included in India’s team for the World Athletics Relays to be held in Silesia, Poland on May 1-2.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is sending a 20-member squad to Poland to compete in the men’s 4x400m, women’s 4x400m and women’s 4x100m events.
Dhanalakshmi Sekar, Hima Das and Dutee Chand are in the 4x100m team.
Dhanalakshmi shot to fame after she beat Dutee Chand to the gold in the 100m and Hima Das in the 200m Federation Cup heats in Patiala.
“With Dhanalakshmi emerging on the scene in the Federation Cup last month, she and Dutee Chand are two Indian runners who have run sub-11.50 times this season,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla pointed out.
“We believe the 4x100m women’s team with Dhanalakshmi, Dutee, Hima Das and Archana Suseendran can come up with a good effort,” Sumariwalla said.
The World Athletics Relays is the first major international event for the sprinters since the Asian Athletics Championships in Doha in April 2019, where the Indian mixed 4x400m relay team qualified for the Olympics.
More than 1,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to take part in the World Athletics Relays, which also serves as an Olympic qualifier for Tokyo 2020.
The Indian relay teams will first head to Antalya in Turkey for a training camp before heading to Chorzow in Silesia.
Javelin throwers are also expected to train in Turkey later this month. The team includes Tokyo-bound Neeraj Chopra and Shivpal Singh along with Rohit Yadav, Rajender Singh and Annu Rani.
Indian team for World Athletics Relays in Silesia, Poland
Men’s 4x400: Amoj Jacob, Naganathan Pandi, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Arokia Rajiv, Sarthak Bhambri, Ayyasamy Dharun and Nirmal Noah Tom
Women’s 4x400: MR Poovamma, Subha Venkatesh, Kiran, Anjali Devi, R Revathi, VK Vismaya and Jisna Mathew
Women’s 4x100: S Dhanalakshmi, Dutee Chand, Hima Das, Archana Suseendran, Himashree Roy and AT Daneshwari