Hima Das named in World Championships team as relay runner
New Delhi: World junior champion Hima Das was on Monday named as 4x400m relay runner in India's 25-member squad for the World Athletics Championships to be held in Doha from September 27.
The number of athletes announced after a meeting of AFI selection committee will, however, increase after the international body (IAAF) gives confirmation of the likes of World University 100m champion Dutee Chand, who did not meet the qualification mark but is within the required number of competitors for the event.
Hima could not qualify for her pet event 400m but she has been named to run in the women's 4x400m relay and the mixed 4x400m relay races. The AFI is even hoping that the mixed 4x400m relay team can come in the medal bracket or at least close to it.
The name of star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who is undergoing rehabilitation after an elbow surgery, was also discussed but was not named in the team.
"The selectors decided to discuss the case of javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who is undergoing rehabilitation programme after an elbow surgery at a later stage," a press release from the AFI said.
Sources in the AFI, however, said that Neeraj, who has qualified for the World Championships before his surgery, is more or less ruled out of the marquee event.
"Neeraj is unlikely to make it to Doha Worlds as he is undergoing rehabilitation. We think it is better for Neeraj to recover properly as we see him as a bright prospect for the Tokyo Olympics," the source told PTI.
"The selection committee also approved the names of sprinters Dutee Chand (100m women), Archana Suseentran (200m women) and high jumper Tejaswin Shankar subject to invitation from the IAAF.
"The committee also decided to conduct confirmatory trial for quarter miler Anjali Devi for selection in the team in individual women's 400m. The trial will be conducted on September 21st at the NIS Patiala," the AFI release added.
An AFI official said that Tejaswin will be asked to come to India and undergo a trial if he wants to take part in the World Championships.
"If the IAAF sends an invite for Tejaswin, we will ask him to at least jump 2.25m if not the World Championships qualification standard of 2.30m," the official said.
The personal best for Tejaswin is 2.29m, which is also the national record.
The selection committee meeting, chaired by Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, was attended by AFI President Adille Sumariwalla, chief coach Bahadur Singh, Bahadur Singh Saggu, Krishna Poonia, Praveen Jolly, Uday Prabhu, Paramjit Singh.
Former chief coach JS Saini and current deputy chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair were special invitees. The AFI said that the 4x400m relay teams will perform better than they did in the World Relays in Yokohama in May last.
"We have invested a lot of time in the 400m runners, getting them to train under renowned coach Galina Bukharina. We believe that the squad has been well prepared to deliver the best results on the world stage," AFI President Adille Sumariwalla said.
The team:
Men: Jabir MP (400m Hurdles), Jinson Johnson (1500m), Avinash Sable (3000m Steeplechase), KT Irfan and Devender Singh (20km Race Walk), Gopi T (Marathon), Sreeshankar M (Long Jump), Tajinder Pal Singh Toor (Shot Put), Shivpal Singh (Javelin Throw), Muhammed Anas, Nirmal Noah Tom, Alex Antony, Amoj Jacob, KS Jeevan, Dharun Ayyasamy and Harsh Kumar (4x400m Men's & Mixed Relay).
Women: PU Chitra (1500m), Annu Rani (Javelin Throw), Hima Das, Vismaya VK, Poovamma MR, Jisna Mathew, Revathi V, Subha Venkatsan, Vithya R (4x400m Women & Mixed Relay).
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BJP state chief Vijayendra accuses Cong govt of corruption, Shivakumar hits back
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Accusing the Congress government in Karnataka of rampant corruption, state BJP President B Y Vijayendra on Thursday alleged that the money collected through "loot and by emptying the state's coffers" is being paid to the party high command, to continue in power.
Hitting back, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar called Vijayendra as "king of collection", and held him responsible for "bringing down" his father and former CM B S Yediyurappa's name.
"From the time the Congress government came to power, money has been paid to the party high command through corruption. We have been saying that if the Congress is in power in the state, it will turn into an ATM for their high command. Hundreds of crores were misappropriated in Valmiki ST Development Corporation. After that, one scam after the other is taking place," Vijayendra said.
Speaking to reporters here, the state BJP chief alleged that to satisfy the Congress high command, money is being collected from contractors. "You may be aware that the state contractors' association had also written a letter alleging commission."
"No development works are happening in this government, other than corruption.....for those who want to loot, rich or poor doesn't matter. Continuing in power by satisfying the Congress high command, looting the state and emptying its coffers, is the only thing that is happening in this government," Vijayendra claimed.
Reacting to the allegations, Shivakumar said Vijayendra lacks experience, and challenged him to speak in the Assembly as to which coffer is empty.
"Which coffer is empty? He should say, let him come and speak in the Assembly, instead of running away somewhere. Let him come to the Assembly here and speak about which coffer, what collection? Should I reveal their collections, accounts and transfers? I too know what to speak. He should speak whatever he has to, within his limits as the party president," he told reporters.
"If there is any king for collections, it is Vijayendra. He is responsible for bringing down his father's name," he alleged.
Speaking about the legislature session and the discussions that have happened so far, Vijayendra said that he had no expectations about getting solutions to the issues raised from the "outgoing CM".
"You will have to understand the situation of the chief minister (Siddaramaiah), who is an outgoing chief minister. No one knows when he will resign. Listening to the way in which the CM is speaking, anyone will naturally feel that -- let it be, how long will he be there in the post?" he said.
Further noting that how long will one be in the CM chair is not important, but what work he does while in the post is important, he said, "some had hopes, as this may be Siddaramaiah's last session (as CM)....but, when he has not done any development work for the last 2.5 years, what will he do now in two weeks?"
Terming the allegations of usurping 21.16 acres of land against Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda in Kolar district as "serious", Vijayendra said, the matter will be raised during the session.
"....can illegality happen or be allowed in the guise of ancestral property? Is it permitted under law? It is a serious matter," he said.
Responding to a question on extending the session for one more week, the state BJP chief said the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka had written to the Speaker regarding this, but as per his knowledge, there has been no positive response so far.
The winter session of the state legislature, which began on December 8, is scheduled to conclude on December 19.
