Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Top Indian track and field athletes aspiring for a berth at the Budapest World Athletics Championships and Hangzhou Asian Games will have a good chance to prove themselves during the 62nd National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships starting Thursday, says chief athletics coach Radhakrishnan Nair.
The five-day major domestic competition will be held at Bhubaneswar’s eight-lane Kalinga Stadium.
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) also plans to send a big contingent of 60 athletes to compete at the July 12 to 16 Asian Athletics Championship scheduled to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, the Radhakrishnan Nair added.
“The five-day domestic national meet in Bhubaneswar will act as a last qualification for the continental competition in Thailand,” the chief athletics coach said.
On the opening day medals in four events will be decided. However, the main focus will be the 400m heats in both men and women’s sections. “We have three male runners who are capable of racing quarter-mile below 46 seconds,” Radhakrishnan Nair added. “We are hopeful of having a strong men’s 4x400m relay team.”
The chief coach says the process of building the women’s 4x400m relay squad is on the cards.
According to Radhakrishnan Nair India’s 2020 Tokyo Olympic javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra and steeplechase specialist Avinash Sable will not compete in the next month’s Asian Athletics Championship scheduled to be held in Bangkok, Thailand as the main focus is world championship.
“Due to packed 2023 season both the athletes (Neeraj Chopra and Avinash Sable) are competing in selected events this year as the emphasis is podium finish at the August 19 to 27 Budapest World Athletics Championships in Hungary,” Radhakrishnan Nair said, adding, after the World Athletics Championships the next goal will be Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
