Lille Logo (© IAAF)
New Delhi, IndiaIn an effort to encourage athletics at the grass roots level, India sends its largest ever team of 19 athletes to the IAAF World Youth Championships in Lille, France (6 to 10 July).
The present squad surpasses the team-strength of 13 which took part in Marrakesh, Morocco, in 2005.
Durgesh Kumar Pal, silver medallist in 400m Hurdles at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last year, will be leading the squad consisting of 15 boys and 4 girls.
Durgesh, credited with a PB of 50.89 secs in Singapore, clocked 51.49 while winning the National Youth Championships at Ranchi this May. The above time is the second fastest time for 400m Hurdles behind Christiaan Mouton of South Africa, who holds the world youth lead with a 51.24 clocking since March. With the YOG victor Norge Sotomayor of Cuba graduated to the junior division, Mouton will be the main challenger to Pal for the top spot.
India also pins its hope on distance runner Indrajeet Patel, another Youth Olympic finalist last year in 3000m with a career best 8:15.02. Shot putter Navtejdeep Singh (19.34m) and Hammer thrower Ali Ahmed (64.34m) are other key members of the national team.
Among the girls, Discus thrower Navjeet Kaur (44.20m) is favourite to figure in the final.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Team
Name (personal best):
BOYS
Jijin Vijayan (100m–11.23), Jatin Jain (200m-22.11, 400m-48.17), Sandeep (400m-47.65), Harish Koranga (1500m-3:57.95), Indrajeet Patel (3000m-8:15.02), Rajendra Bind (2000m steeple-6:07.08), Amit Kumar Singh (110m hurdles-14.33), Durgesh Kumar Pal (400m hurdles-50.81), Anburaja (Long jump-7.28), Sandeep Singh (Triple jump-15.33), Navtejdeep Singh (Shot put-19.34), Sachin Singh (Discus throw-53.32), Ali Ahmed (Hammer throw-64.34), Naveen Kumar (Javelin throw-70.02), Kuldeep (10000m Walk-45:45.60)
GIRLS
Sunanda Sarkar (100m-12.31, 200m-25.42), Archana Suseendran (200m-25.23), Priyanka Mondal (400m-57.20), Navjeet Kaur (Discus throw-44.20)
