Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy in athletics, has a dedicated supporter who has embarked on an extraordinary journey to witness his triumph at the Paris Olympics 2024. Fayis Asraf Ali, a cyclist from Kerala, has pedaled over 22,000 kilometers across 30 countries in the past two years to reach Paris for the Summer Games.
Chopra, the reigning Olympic champion in javelin throw, will lead a 29-member Indian athletics contingent at the Paris Games. The contingent will compete in 16 medal events, with the track and field events taking place at the iconic Stade de France.
Chopra’s journey to Paris has been marked by consistent success. After his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, he won the Diamond League title in 2022 and the Asian Games gold medal in 2023. He arrives in Paris as the reigning world champion in javelin throw.
Joining Chopra in the men’s javelin competition will be Kishore Jena, who won silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023. Other notable members of the Indian athletics contingent include Muhammed Anas, who will make his third Olympic appearance, and steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary, who will make her Olympic debut.
The Indian athletics squad for the Paris 2024 Olympics includes:
Men:
* Avinash Sable (3000m steeplechase)
* Neeraj Chopra (javelin throw)
* Kishore Jena (javelin throw)
* Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put)
* Praveen Chithravel (triple jump)
* Abdulla Aboobacker (triple jump)
* Sarvesh Kushare (high jump)
* Akshdeep Singh (20km race walk)
* Vikash Singh (20km race walk)
* Paramjeet Singh Bisht (20km race walk)
* Muhammed Anas (4x400m relay)
* Muhammed Ajmal (4x400m relay)
* Amoj Jacob (4x400m relay)
* Santhosh Kumar Tamilarasan (4x400m relay)
* Rajesh Ramesh (4x400m relay)
* Mijo Chacko Kurian (4x400m relay)
* Suraj Panwar (race walk mixed marathon)
* Jeswin Aldrin (long jump)
Women:
* Kiran Pahal (400m)
* Parul Chaudhary (3000m steeplechase and 5,000m)
* Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles)
* Annu Rani (javelin throw)
* Jyothika Sri Dandi (4x400m relay)
* Subha Venkatesan (4x400m relay)
* Vithya Ramraj (4x400m relay)
* MR Poovamma (4x400m relay)
* Prachi (4x400m relay)
* Priyanka Goswami (20km race walk and race walk mixed marathon)
* Ankita Dhyani (5000m)
