Top 10 medal prospects for India in athletics at Hangzhou Asian Games 2023

The sport accounted for 20 medals out of the 70 overall in the previous edition.

The stage is set for India's grand spectacle at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games 2023 as the nation's athletes are gearing up to make their mark on the continent's biggest sporting extravaganza. Over the past few decades, India's presence at the Asian Games has grown significantly and this year, the nation is set to field an impressive contingent of 650 plus athletes across 38 diverse sports.

Amongst these, the discipline of athletics takes center stage with a robust team of 68 athletes. While Neeraj Chopra, the global sensation commands attention for his remarkable achievements, there's a formidable group of Indian athletes - Murali Sreeshankar in the men's long jump to the talented quartet in men's 4x400 relay race who are poised to shine on the Asian stage.

Since the inaugural edition of the Asian Games held in New Delhi in 1951, athletics has consistently emerged as India's most triumphant sport at the continental event. Over the years, India has secured an impressive tally of 79 gold medals, complemented by 88 silver and 87 bronze medals in the track & field events. As the Asian Games 2022 approach, India remain poised to continue its legacy of dominance in athletics and further augment its collection of medals in this discipline.

In this article, let us delve into the top 10 medal prospects in athletics at the Asian Games 2023 highlighting the Indian athletes who could redefine sporting glory.

Neeraj Chopra

India's star Javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, is setting his sights to clinch a second consecutive gold medal at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The 25-year-old athlete, who recently secured world title in Budapest with an impressive throw of 88.17 meters, is not only the reigning Olympic champion but also the holder of the gold medal from the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

However, he's expected to encounter fierce rivalry from Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem who already breached the 90-meter mark, a feat Chopra is yet to achieve. With a stellar track record, Chopra is now focused on maintaining his fitness and avoiding injuries in preparation for the Asian Games which is scheduled to commence from September 23.

Jeswin Aldrin

The 21-year-old Indian long jumper, Jeswin Aldrin, started the 2023 season on a high note by setting a new a national record with a jump of 8.42 meters in March. This remarkable achievement raised hopes of a podium finish in upcoming international events. However, his season had its ups and downs with a second-place finish at the Asian Indoor Championships in Nur Sultan in February.

Despite entering the Budapest World Athletics Championships in August with a top-six global ranking, he couldn't replicate his early success and his performance gradually declined. The Budapest disappointment is expected to be put behind by Jeswin Aldrin, who will now shift his focus to the Asian Games and seek his redemption.

The athlete from Tamil Nadu will face tough competition from Lin Yu Tang of Chinese Taipei and Zhang Mingkun from China. The former surprised many by clinching the gold medal at Asian championships by registering 8.40 plus distance. Zhang Minbgkun will also look to perform to his best and put up a good fight.

Parul Chaudhary

In women's 3000m Steeplechase final at the World Athletics Championships, Parul Chaudhary, the reigning Asian Champion achieved a remarkable feat by clocking 9:15.31. This not only shattered the seven-year-old national record previously held by Lalita Babar but also secured her qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

At 28, Parul Chaudhary now stands as the fourth-fastest Asian Steeplechaser. With her impressive performance, she appears to be on a trajectory towards another podium finish in the upcoming Asian Games. Xavi from Bahrain who won gold in Asian Games 2018 at 18, will be a strong contender. She recently won the Diamond League title in Eugene by registering a new Meeting Record.

Avinash Sable

Hailing from Maharashtra, Avinash Sable has carved a niche for himself in an event historically dominated by African athletes. His journey to prominence began with a memorable silver medal win at the Commonwealth Games and it's evident that he possesses the potential to ascend even higher on the podium at the Asian Games.

With the second-best timing of 8.11:63s this year, just behind Japan's Ryuji Miura, there's every reason to believe he can surpass Miura and clinch the coveted gold medal.

Jyothi Yarraji

Jyothi Yarraji, the 100m hurdles sensation, is a formidable force in this event. Currently, she stands as one of the nation's premier sprinters by boasting the second-best time in Asia this year at 12.78 seconds. Taking into account her personal best, a gold medal is well within her grasp. Furthermore, her competition in the field appears to be limited further enhancing her chances of securing the top spot.

4x400m Men's Relay Team

Their awe-inspiring performance by breaking the Asian record with a phenomenal time of 2 minutes and 59.05 seconds etched a historic moment for the team at the World Championships in Budapest as they earned their inaugural qualification for the finals.

The Indian men's 4x400m relay team's consecutive two sub-3-minute runs at the World Championships accompanied by their record-breaking feat in the heats has sparked optimism and elevated aspirations for securing the gold medal at the upcoming Hangzhou event.

Until the World Championships, Japan had the Area Record in the event and India after having broken the record will face tough competition from the Japanese counterparts.

Shaili Singh

Shaili Singh, the young and promising talent, is undoubtedly a future star to keep a close eye on. With an impressive leap of 6.76 meters, she currently holds the second-best distance achieved by an Asian athlete this year. There's optimism that she may even surpass the long-standing national record held by Anju Bobby George at the upcoming Asian Games in 2023.

The long jump start list consists of Japan’s Sumire Hata who soared to a 6.97m jump to secure the top position in Asian Athletics Championship in Bangkok along with Zhong Jiawei from China who will also put up a strong performance.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor

Tajinderpal Singh Toor, the accomplished shot put athlete, is on the path to regaining full fitness after a groin injury and has his sights set on defending his Asian Games gold in Hangzhou. The 28-year-old hailing from Punjab had previously clinched the gold medal in the previous edition in Jakarta with a throw of 20.75 meters.

In the time since, he has further honed his skills and currently stands as the holder of the Asian record as he achieved an impressive throw of 21.77 meters while securing gold at the National Inter-State Championships in Bhubaneswar in June.

Praveen Chithravel

Praveen Chithravel established a new national record this season with a remarkable jump of 17.37 meters. He secured a silver medal at the Asian Indoor Championship in February and consistently qualified with a 17-meter distance in four outdoor competitions this year. However, it's worth noting that he had some injury concerns.

With everything going smoothly, there's a good chance he might earn a medal. Competing alongside him is countrymate Abdulla Aboobacker, who is also in good form.

Priyanka Goswami

Priyanka Goswami is a strong contender for a medal in race walking. She proudly represented India in the Tokyo Olympics and secured 17th place. Additionally, she clinched a silver medal in the 10,000 meters walk event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games which puts her in an advantage. Priyanka will have to compete with strong Chinese and Japanese racewalkers who have shown tremendous form at the world stages.