World Athletics Championships: Indian athletes who can win medals

Here, we take a look at some of the Indian athletics who are hopeful of securing podium finishes in the upcoming 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Neeraj Chopra

The reigning Olympic javelin Champion, Neeraj Chopra, is the most-promising Indian athlete to secure a medal at the World Championships. In a stage second only to the Olympics, Neeraj looks all set to face the reigning World Champion Anderson Peters amongst some other heavyweight contenders.

Neeraj Chopra is in the best shape ever as he recently set a new national record with a throw of 89.94m at the Stockholm Diamond League. The 24-year-old though had to settle for the second spot on the podium as Peters walked away with the win, thanks to a 90m throw.

The javelin hero of India took a long break of more than 300 days after his sensational victory at the Tokyo Olympics. He was gearing up to come back stronger as he broke his previous national record at Paavo Nurmi Games, 2022 by posting a length of 89.30m finishing second behind Finland's Oliver Helander's throw of 89.93m. Neeraj Chopra went on to break his national record in the later-scheduled Stockholm Diamond League.

Neeraj Chopra also won the Gold medal in Kuortane Games held this year with a throw of 86.69m defeating Peters. The uncertainty in the supremacy among these Javelin contenders would be a delightful watch for all athletic fans around the world.

Avinash Sable

Today if India is considered as a medal contender in 3000m steeplechase at major tournaments amongst the powerhouses like Ethiopia and Kenya, the credit all goes to Avinash Sable.

The 27-year steeplechaser has been constantly bettering his own national records in the past four years. He registered his first national record of 8:29.80s in 3000m Steeplechase at the 2018 Indian Open Championships. He later broke his National record at the 2019 Federation Cup in Patiala by clocking 8:28.94s.

Avinash's performance at 2019 IAAF World Championships was yet another record-breaker as he registered his new national record of 8:21.37s in finals after his record-breaking performance in the qualifiers.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics became yet another platform where he broke his own national record when he clocked 8:18.12s, but was unable to secure the medal for India.

Despite missing out on a medal in Tokyo, Avinash kept improving to post his current National record of 8:12.48s at the Rabat Diamond League held earlier this year. This meeting also saw the Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Soufiane El Bakkhali bagging the gold medal by posting the World Leading time of 7:58.28s.

The Rabat Diamond League will be a huge booster for Avinash, and he will be looking to secure India's first-ever medal in 3000m Steeplechase at the upcoming World Athletics Championships.

Murali Sreeshankar

The Indian long jumper, Murali Sreeshankar is yet another rising star who is hopeful of securing a medal in the upcoming 2022 World Championships. He started his journey, by clinching the Gold medal with his then-personal best jump of 7.99m at the 2018 Federation Cup, Patiala.

Sreeshankar then broke the national record of Ankit Sharma by jumping a distance of 8.20m at National Open Athletics Championship, Bhubaneswar. He also secured his berth at Tokyo Olympics by achieving the qualification mark of 8.21m by jumping 8.26m. He further shattered his national record and posted the length of 8.36m at the Federation Cup meeting at Thenhipalam on 30 April.

Murali Sreeshankar was placed seventh at the 2022 World Indoors Athletic Championship held in Belgrade. This league was decorated with athletes like Miltiadis Tentoglou from Greece and others.

Sreeshankar achieved his biggest achievement just before the onset of the 2022 World Athletics Championships. He bagged the Gold medal at the 12th International Jumping Meeting in Greece with a jump of 8.31m.