World Athletics Championships 2025: Complete List of Indian Athletes Qualified for Tokyo

India is set to make a strong mark at the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo, scheduled from September 13 to 21. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has announced a 19-member squad comprising 13 men and 6 women, though injuries have reduced the effective participants to 17. At the forefront is reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra, who will spearhead India’s campaign in the men’s javelin throw. The squad blends world-class performers with new faces, reflecting the country’s growing strength in athletics.

Neeraj Chopra Leads India’s Medal Hopes

Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy of athletics, remains the biggest medal contender. The 26-year-old javelin thrower, who defended his world title in Budapest in 2023, has qualified via a wild card as the defending champion. Interestingly, Chopra had already met the 85.50m entry standard earlier this season. He will be joined in the javelin throw by Sachin Yadav and Yashvir Singh, both of whom earned their spots through world rankings.

Animesh Kujur Creates History in Sprinting

The breakthrough story of this year is Animesh Kujur from Odisha, who has become the first-ever Indian male sprinter to qualify for the World Championships. A national record-holder, Kujur will compete in the men’s 200m event, marking a historic milestone for Indian sprinting on the global stage.

Direct Qualifications Through Entry Standards

India secured four direct qualifications for Tokyo by meeting the automatic entry standards. These include:

• Avinash Sable – 3000m steeplechase (injured, withdrawn)

• Parul Chaudhary – 3000m steeplechase

• Gulveer Singh – 5000m

• Praveen Chitravel – triple jump

Sable’s withdrawal due to injury is a setback, but the remaining three will be India’s direct standard qualifiers.

Ranking-Based Qualifications Add Depth

Apart from automatic qualifiers, 13 athletes made the cut via world rankings. Among the most notable is Murali Sreeshankar, who has staged a strong comeback after knee surgery that forced him to miss the 2024 Olympics. With a season-best of 8.13m in long jump, he secured his place despite falling short of the 8.27m standard.

Annu Rani, who regained form with a 62.59m javelin throw in Poland, also returns to the team after two years. Other ranking-based qualifiers include:

• Abdulla Aboobacker – triple jump

• Sarvesh Kushare – high jump

• Ankita Dhyani – 3000m steeplechase

• Pooja – 1500m

• Priyanka Goswami – 35km race walk

• Akashdeep Singh – 20km race walk

• Servin Sebastian – 20km race walk

• Ram Baboo – 35km race walk

Strength in Race Walking and Field Events

India continues to showcase its dominance in race walking, with three men (Akashdeep Singh, Servin Sebastian, and Ram Baboo) and one woman (Priyanka Goswami) qualifying. In field events, triple jumpers Praveen Chitravel and Abdulla Aboobacker, along with high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, add further medal prospects.

Withdrawals and Possible Late Inclusions

The squad faced two setbacks with Avinash Sable and heptathlete Nandini Agasara pulling out due to injuries. This reduced India’s effective squad size to 17 athletes. However, the AFI selection committee is still evaluating fitness levels and late inclusions, with Rohit Yadav under consideration for a javelin quota if higher-ranked athletes withdraw.

Full List of Indian Athletes for World Athletics Championships 2025

Men’s Category

• Neeraj Chopra – Javelin throw (wild card)

• Sachin Yadav – Javelin throw (rankings)

• Yashvir Singh – Javelin throw (rankings)

• Praveen Chitravel – Triple jump (entry standard)

• Abdulla Aboobacker – Triple jump (rankings)

• Murali Sreeshankar – Long jump (rankings)

• Sarvesh Kushare – High jump (rankings)

• Animesh Kujur – 200m (rankings)

• Gulveer Singh – 5000m (entry standard)

• Servin Sebastian – 20km race walk (rankings)

• Akashdeep Singh – 20km race walk (rankings)

• Ram Baboo – 35km race walk (rankings)

• Avinash Sable* – 3000m steeplechase (injured)

Women’s Category

• Parul Chaudhary – 3000m steeplechase (entry standard)

• Ankita Dhyani – 3000m steeplechase (rankings)

• Pooja – 1500m (rankings)

• Annu Rani – Javelin throw (rankings)

• Priyanka Goswami – 35km race walk (rankings)

• Nandini Agasara* – Heptathlon (injured)

Conclusion

With Neeraj Chopra leading the charge and rising stars like Animesh Kujur breaking new ground, India’s squad for the World Athletics Championships 2025 reflects a fine balance of experience and young energy. While injuries have trimmed the team, the depth across events like javelin, race walking, and long jump provides genuine medal hopes for India in Tokyo.