Chopra expected to infuse life into dismal India campaign
HOPE Country’s expectations resting on the young javelin thrower
LONDON: Fast-rising javelin thrower Neeraj Chop raw ill have the weight of expectations on him when he begins his World Athletics Championship campaign on Thursday, aiming to inf use some life into India’s listless performance in the mega-event. The 19-year-old world junior record holder has an outside chance of clinching a medal and he will feature in the qualification round tomorrow. Davinder Singh Kang is the second Indian in fray in men’s javelin throw. Kang tested positive for marijuana in June but was named in the25-member Indian team as the banned substance was in the specified list of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA) and does not attract automatic suspension. India’s best bet for a medal is Chopra, whose season’s best of 85.63m puts him at 14th in the IAAF rankings. He has a personal best of 86.48 m, which he did while setting a junior world record last year, but needs to improve at least a meter more than to be in contention for a medal.
Two javelin throwers--Johann es Vet te rand reigning Olympic and world champion Thomas Rohler -- have crossed the 90m mark this year while eight athletes have gone beyond 87.64m, the distance covered by the bronze-winner in 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
The Indian has three 85m throws this season and two of these came during his Diamond League appearance sin Paris and Monaca last month -- where he had finished fifth and seventh respectively.
“I have been training here for the last 10 days and so I am well prepared for the championships. It was a bit difficult in the first couple of days but now I have fully acclimatised to the conditions and I am 100 percent ready ,” Chopra said.
Ch oprah as come here without a coach but he sought to dwell on the positives, saying ,“I have to do it with what I have. The Athletics Federation of India has finalised a coach (javelin great Uwe Hohn of Germany).
“But he is unable to join for this World Championships( ashes till has a contract with the Australian team ). I am fine with that ,” he said.
Asked if he got some tips from the former world record holder German when he trained in Germany for a few days before the World Championships, Chopra said, “The coach is still with the Australian team and so he could not spare much time for me.”
Chop ra is placed in the qualifyin ground Group A which begins at 19:05 hrs (23:35 I ST) while Kang will feature in qualifying round Group B which begins at 01:05 I ST. Chop ra is expected to qualify for the final round but Kang (personal as well as season’s best of 84.57m) will have to be at his best if he wants to make that grade.
If both go through the qualifyin ground, it will bear are occasion when two Indians will make it to the final round.
In track events, Ni rm ala She oran reached up to the semifinals in women’s 400m race.
In field, Annu Rani failed to make it to the final round in women’s javelin as she finished 20th overall with a best throw of 59.93m.
Heptathlete Swapna Barman finished a low ly 26 th while T Go pi and Monika At hare ended at 28 th and 64th in men’s and women’s marathon.