KOCHI:
Ancy Sojan
, the toast of
Khelo India Youth Games
and
Sandra Babu have been named in the 25-member Indian squad bound for 9th
Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
to be hosted by Hangzhu, China from February 12 and 13.
Ancy who was also the fastest athlete of the KIYG held in Guwahati also leapt to record 6.36m in long jump which clinched her tickets to Hangzhu. It may be recalled that Ancy, a Plus-II student of Nattila government Fisheries HSS in Thrissur, was named in the Indian camp for the South Asian Game which was hosted by Kathmandu, Nepal last month but skipped it for competing in the Kerala state school athletics meet in Kannur and national school meet in Sangrur in last October and December, respectively.
However, the national selection committee which met on Monday in New Delhi could not ignore the 18-year-old Ancy's incredible performance of 6.36m which was her personal and seasonal bests and better than girls under-20 national record of 6.30m.
"I'm proud to represent my country in the Asian indoor meet. Although, I have never competed in indoors, I will give my best and wish to bring a medal to my country. I'm also in fine form and hope to maintain it in China meet," Ancy told TOI on Monday.
Sandra, a trainee of national jumps coach
TP Ouseph
, will be competing in women's triple jump. The MA College, Kothamangalam student but hailing from Kelakam in Kannur personal best of13.28m came in the All-India Inter-University Athletics meet held in Moodibdri early this month. Mareena George is another Kerala athlete and will compete in pentathlon.
There won't be camp for the Asian meet. "Majority of the athletes in the national squad have been picked after the recent performances in Khelo India Youth Games and all-India inter-varsity meets. Most of them are catching up with their studies and will be appearing for their respective board and varsity exams too. So a camp may not possible," P Radhakrishnan Nair, deputy chief coach, athletics Federation of India, told TOI.
Squads MEN 1500m: Ajith Kumar, Sunil Dawar; 3000m: Ajith Kumar, Shankar Lal Swami, Kartik Jayraj Karkera; 60m hurdle: Yashwant Kumar Laveti; triple jump: Shah Jay Pradip; high jump: Sarvesh Anil Kushare; shot put: Tajender Singh Pal Toor;
WOMEN 60m: Dutee Chand, Y Jyothi; 800m: Lili Das; 1500m: Ankita, Chanda; 60m hurdle: Y Jyothi, Sapna Kumari; long jump: Ancy Sojan, Sherin A; triple jump: Aishwariya V, Sandra Babu; shot put: Kiran Baliyan, Abha Khatua, Navjeet Kaur Dhillon; pentathlon: Soumiya Murugan; Mareena George.