India to send 13-member team to Osaka World Athletics event

Patiala, Aug 18 (UNI) Celebrated long Jumper Anju George and thrower Vikas Gowda are among the thirteen-member Indian squad that will represent the country at the World Athletics Championship slated for August 25 to September 2 in Osaka, Japan.

The coordinator in the ongoing coaching camp here at the NIS, Sanjay Garnaik, told UNI that, but for Anju Bobby George and Vikas Gowda, all the Osaka-bound athletes who are training here at the NIS, will leave Patiala for Delhi on August 20 morning from where they will fly to Japan.

Anju is training in Bangalore, while Vikas Gowda is in the United States.

The chief national athletics coach, Bahadur Singh, told UNI that, realistically speaking, not much was expected from our athletes since the best talent in the world will be seen in action.

Even India's best bet, Anju Bobby George, is not in her peak form as her recent performance in Leverkusen (Germany), where she cleared 6.51M, indicates.

Eventwise, the athletes are: Men Shot Put : Navpreet Singh Discus : Vikas Gowda Triple Jump : M.Ranjit 400MH : Joseph Abraham Women Long Jump : Anju Bobby George Discus : Krishna Punia and Seema Antil Relay 4x400 : Chitra K. Soman, Iyleen Samantha Mandeep Kaur, Simi Jose, Anu Mariam Jose, Manjit Kaur.

Coaches : Bahadur Singh, Robert Bobby George Foreign experts : Yuri Ogrodonik (sprint coach) Dr.Petrovenko (recovery expert) Masseur :Pawan Kumar Masseuse : Ina UNI