Indian Athletes Set to Make History at Paris Olympics

Exciting news for Indian athletics as Jyothi Yarraji and Abha Khatua secure their spots in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Yarraji is on track to become the first Indian 100m hurdler to compete in the prestigious event, while Khatua unexpectedly earned a place through world rankings.

The announcement came from World Athletics, revealing the athletes who qualified either by meeting the entry standard or through the world ranking quota. The final decision on athlete selection will rest with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

Yarraji’s impressive performance in a recent event in Finland, where she clocked 12.78 seconds, fell just shy of the automatic qualification time. Ranking 34th in the world ranking quota, she is set to compete with 40 athletes in Paris.

On the other hand, Khatua’s outstanding record-breaking shot put at the National Inter-State Championships propelled her to the 23rd spot, securing her place among 32 competitors at the Olympics.

Alongside Yarraji and Khatua, high jumper Sarvesh Anil Kushare also qualified with a remarkable performance. However, some athletes, like javelin thrower DP Manu, may miss the Games due to doping violations.

Despite some setbacks, Indian athletes like Neeraj Chopra, Kishore Jena, and others have already secured direct qualification, raising hopes for a strong Indian contingent at the Paris Olympics.

While some athletes narrowly missed out on qualification, there is still a chance for them to make the cut if selected by the AFI. The final list of athletes will be released on July 7, after which preparations for the Games will kick into high gear.