Who is Bahadur Singh Sagoo- the New President of AFI?

Indian Athletics ushered into a new era on Tuesday when former Olympian shot putter Bahadur Singh Sagoo took over as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president.

He was elected unopposed and will succeed Adille Sumariwalla whose 12-year tenure ended.

Sagoo's election was confirmed when outgoing vice president Anju Bobby George pulled out of the presidential race.

Talking after his appointment, Bahadur said, "In the last three Olympic Games cycle Indian athletics made good progress under the able leadership of Sumariwalla. Collective efforts of all the stakeholders, including the government will ensure Indian athletics make a good impression at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games in the USA.”

Sagoo will serve a four-year tenure till the next elections in 2029.

Who is Bahadur Singh Sagoo- New President of AFI

Bahadur Singh Sagoo is one of the most celebrated athletes of his time.

He is an Asian Games gold medalist winning a shot put gold in the 2002 Busan Asian Games with a throw of 19.03m. He is also a two-time national champion in the shot put.

Sagoo is also a two-time Olympian and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics. He finished 27th in the Sydney edition and failed to register a legal throw in the Athens edition.

He also finished fourth place at the 1998 Asian Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

His career-best throw of 20.40m came at the Koncha-Zaspa Sinitskoha Memorial in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2004. He received the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor, in 2006 by former president APJ Abdul Kalam.