2021 Tokyo Olympics | Meet your Olympians - Indian Athletics Team (Field)

India has never been amongst medal prospects in field events in Athletics at the Olympics, but regular participation has been a significant trait. However, with the emergence of the likes of stars like Neeraj Chopra, fresh hopes have plagued the nation ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. It would be criminal not to mention other athletes in the fray who are equally talented and well-equipped to make a mark at the spectacle.

But, two years down the line, Neeraj claimed individual gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and a few months later at the 2018 Asian Games with a national record (88.06) - a feat unreal by Indian standards. He was sidelined for the entire 2019 owing to an elbow injury but was back in shape after a frustrating phase. His qualification to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was inevitable even though a handful would have predicted him to achieve the feat at an event in Potchefstroom, South Africa. 

The Covid-19 lockdown meant it was hibernating once again, with the Tokyo Olympics also pushed back to 2021. Returning to action after a year, Neeraj flexed his muscles to breach his own national record with a throw of 88.07 at the Indian Grand Prix earlier this year. With the Olympics knocking at the door, the 23-year old was craving for international tournaments to ramp up his preparations in the midst of travel restrictions imposed on Indian travellers. As per the latest reports, he has been granted a French visa and will complete the rest of his preparations in Europe, including a few international competitions.

The other javelin thrower from India to qualify for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Shivpal Singh has largely thrived in the shadows of his compatriot Neeraj Chopra. His major claim-to-fame moment surfaced at the 2019 Asian Champions, where he claimed a silver medal. It was in the same event in South Africa - Athletics Central North East (ACNW) League Meeting - that he secured a Tokyo berth. Going by the same flow, he also encountered similar roadblocks in the build-up to the Games, with international tournaments hard to come by.

Shivpal was hoping to participate in the first half of the Diamond League as his final lap of preparations ahead of the Tokyo showdown, but the possibilities are slim with no ease on the travel restrictions till now. The Olympics is set for a July 23 start, with the men’s javelin throw qualifying rounds to be staged on August 4.

Murali Sreeshankar (Men's Long Jump)

Hailing from a family of athletes, Murali Sreeshankar was destined to follow in the footsteps, but the magnitude of the success was unknown. A jump of 7.99m during the 2019 Federation Cup propelled him to a place in the Indian contingent for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but he pulled out of the event just days prior after being diagnosed with appendicitis. Few months of recovery was not enough to restore his previous form as he struggled with run-up issues at the 2018 Asian Games, finishing at the sixth position with a best jump of 7.95m.

However, the ‘class is permanent’ phrase proved to be true, as Sreeshankar scripted a national record with a jump of 8.20m at the 2018 National Open Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, days after the Asian Games outing. The sky was the limit for the Palakkad-base athlete as he kept on bettering his own record, with his training overseen by his father-cum-coach Murali, who is also a former triple-jumper. 

Kamalpreet Kaur (Women's Discus Throw)

Surprisingly, it was also her second consecutive gold medal at the competition, with her triumph in 2019 earning her a qualification to the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships, where she finished at the fifth spot.

It was only her low marks in Standard VIII and a poor run in the build-up to the Class X board exams that prompted her to shift tracks and make a future out of sports. Her height and structure caught the attention of her physical trainers in school and they lured Kamalpreet into athletics.