Top 5 track and field athletes to watch out for in the Birmingham 2022 CWG

Barely a year after the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 which took place in July-August 2021, the sporting world gears up for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

The event is expected to draw an audience of almost a billion people as the games are aired on a global scale. The Commonwealth Games has always secured its position amongst the marquee sporting events in the country.

The 2018 edition of the Commonwealth Games was a breakthrough for the nation with the Indian contingent winning 66 medals and securing third place in the medals table. This year India will surely aim for a record-making 100+ medals tally. Watch Indian heroes battling out for our nation and eleven days of top-notch sporting action beginning on July 28th, only on Sony Sports Network.

A total of 72 nations are participating in the Commonwealth Games where a 215-member squad from India will be heading to the Commonwealth 2022 comprising 108 male and 107 female athletes. On Thursday, Union Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs – Mr. Anurag Thakur unveiled the official Indian uniform for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022. He oversaw the formal departure of all the athletes during the ceremony and mentioned that the preparations of the athletes are going on in full swing. While the entire nation is hopeful for record-making medals, here is a list of some promising athletes who will help India reach the desired medal count:

1.Neeraj Chopra: The golden boy of India, Neeraj Chopra who won the maiden gold medal for India in Javelin Throw at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will surely come into the event with huge expectations. Chopra, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Indian Army, became the nation’s first track and field Olympian to take home a gold medal. In addition, he is the first Indian track and field athlete to win in the IAAF Global U20 Championships. In 2016, he set a world under-20 record with a throw of 86.48 meters, making history as the first Indian athlete to do so. This time he is accompanied by two young prospects DP Manu and Rohit Yadav, who will look to clinch as many medals as possible.

2.Tajinderpal Singh Toor: Tajinderpal is an Indian track and field athlete, who plays shot put and holds the outdoor Asia and national record of 21.49m. In the 2018 Asian Games, Toor broke both the Games’ and the country’s record with a throw of 20.75 meters and won gold. This year he is the only Indian male athlete to participate in the shot put, hence all eyes will be on him to secure another medal for the nation.

3.Dutee Chand: Dutee Chand is an Indian professional sprinter and current national champion in the women’s 100 meters event. She holds numerous records including being the first Indian to win a gold medal in the 100-meter race in a world championship. She is also the third Indian woman to have ever qualified for the women’s 100-meter race at the Olympics. At the 2018 Asian Games, she took home silver in the women’s 100-meter race, giving India its first medal in this competition since 1998. After so many laurels to her name, everyone will keep an eye on her this year to achieve another feat for the country.

4.Hima Das: Hima Das, a 22-year-old Indian sprinter from the state of Assam, goes by the moniker “Dhing Express”. She became the first-ever Indian athlete to win a gold medal in any format of a global track event at IAAF World U20 Championships when she clocked a speed of 51.46 seconds. Hima scripted history when she won two gold medals and one silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games in women’s 4×400m, mixed 4×400m events, and the 400m event. Hima and Dutee will go hand-in-hand as both will participate in the 4x100m relay event.

5.Annu Rani: One of the great prospects to win a medal for India is the 29-year-old Javelin thrower, Annu Rani. Her experience and composure make her a complete athlete. The skill of Annu Rani, a member of a farming family, was discovered by her brother when he observed her arm power while tossing a cricket ball and because she couldn’t afford one, Annu’s first javelin throw stick was made of bamboo. She began her career in the hurdles, but in 2012 she switched to the javelin throw. Her achievements include a gold medal in the 2014 National Athletics Championships, a silver medal at the 2016 South Asian Games, a silver medal at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championship, and more. Annu’s promising performance till now makes her a top candidate to bring glory to the country.