Indian Athletes Approved for European Competitions to Qualify for Paris Olympics

The Indian government's Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved proposals from several top athletes to compete in overseas competitions in May and June to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games 2024. The approved athletes include Asian Games silver medallist sprinter Jyothi Yarraji and Asian Athletics Championships 2023 silver medallist long jumper Shaili Singh.

Jyothi Yarraji will participate in six international events in Europe, aiming to breach the Olympic qualification mark of 12.77 seconds in the women's 100m hurdles or improve her ranking points. Yarraji currently holds the national record of 12.78 seconds in the event. Shaili Singh will compete in four events in Europe to qualify for the Olympics. The women'slong jump qualification standard is set at 6.86m, while Singh's personal best stands at 6.76m with a season's best of 6.52m.

The MOC, under their Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) funding, will cover expenses for the athletes, including airfare, visa costs, accommodation charges, local transport costs, medical insurance, physio charges, massage costs, and other expenditures. The decision was taken during the MOC's 134th meeting.

In addition to Yarraji and Singh, the MOC has also approved proposals from other athletes across various sports. Badminton players Kiran George, Ayush Shetty, and Rakshitha Sree have been approved for financial assistance to participate in international tournaments such as the Malaysia Masters, Thailand Open, Denmark Challenge, and Slovenia Open. Table tennis players Manav Thakkar and Archana Kamath will compete in WTT Contender events in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and Mendoza, Argentina.

Skeet shooter Anantjeet Singh Naruka, who has already secured an Olympic quota, will train in Italy with personal coach Ennio Falco for 20 days before the World Cup in Baku and Lonato. TOPS will cover Naruka's coaching fees, boarding and lodging costs, local transportation costs, and expenditure for ammunition and clay targets during the training period.

The MOC also made changes to the TOPS roster, inducting badminton player Ashwini Ponnappa, shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, and rower Balraj Panwar into the TOPS core group. Ponnappa's doubles partner Tanisha Crasto has been promoted from the Development to the Core group for the Paris Olympics.

The approval of these proposals and the financial assistance provided by the MOC willhelpIndian athletes to participate in crucial international competitions and enhance their chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games 2024. The athletes will strive to breach qualification marks or gather ranking points to secure their spots in the prestigious quadrennial event.

Key Takeaways

• India's Mission Olympic Cell approves foreign trips for top athletes to qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics.
• Jyothi Yarraji and Shaili Singh to compete in European events to breach Olympic qualification marks.
• MOC to cover expenses for athletes, including airfare, accommodation, and medical insurance.
• Other athletes approved for financial assistance include badminton, table tennis, and skeet shooting players.
• MOC inducts new athletes into TOPS core group, promoting some from Development to Core group.