Several top athletes to miss Monday’s Indian GP IV

Patiala, June 20 (SocialNews.XYZ) Muhammed Anas, the national 400m record holder, and Noah Nirmal Tom will be the notable absentees from the individual 400m race of the one-day Indian Grand Prix IV to be held here on Monday.

Fourteen athletes will battle it out for the gold medal, according to the starting list posted by Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on its website. The names of Anas and Tom are missing from it.

In the absence of Anas, the focus in the 400m race would be on Rajiv Arokia, whose personal best is 45.37 seconds. But this season he is yet to dip below 46 seconds. Sarthak Bhambri will be another athlete to watch out for. Jabir M.P., a 400m hurdles specialist, has also entered the race.

Since the men's 4x400m relay is one of the events of the IGP IV, it looks certain both Anas and Tom will compete in the relay. However, the AFI is yet to announce the final list for the relay.

Jinson Johson, the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games 1,500m champion, will also skip the meet as he is yet to recover from a bout of Covid-19.

Upcoming middle-distance runner Anu Kumar of Uttarakhand and Ajay Kumar Saroj of Uttar Pradesh will be the ones to watch out for in the 1,500m.

Asian Games shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor will be among four athletes who will compete in the men's javelin throw gold.

While Jithin Paul and Jabir M.P. have registered for the men's 400m hurdles, six athletes will compete in the men's 3000m steeplechase. Haryana's Shankar Lal Swami is among the favourites in steeplechase

Seven athletes have entered in the men's long jump competition and six in the men's triple jump.

Source: IANS