New Dwlhi, Sept 5:
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Yashvir Singh has replaced injured star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra in India’s athletics squad for the 2026 Asian Games, with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announcing a 77-member track and field contingent for the Games in Japan.
Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist and the reigning Asian Games champion, was originally included in India’s 73-member athletics squad. However, an ankle ligament injury has ruled him out of the September 19 to October 4 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, forcing the AFI to make changes to the team.
Yashvir, who won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, has now been drafted into the men’s javelin throw event. He will compete alongside Rohit Yadav, giving India two representatives in an event where Chopra had been expected to defend the title he won at the 2018 Jakarta and 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
The inclusion represents a major opportunity for Yashvir, who will make his Asian Games debut. With Chopra unavailable, the pressure on the javelin contingent will increase, although India will still have considerable experience and medal-winning pedigree in the event.
The AFI has also made other changes to the contingent. Men’s 110m hurdler Tejas Shirse has been omitted after sustaining an injury during the recent Commonwealth Games, while long-distance runner Abhishek Pal has been dropped after receiving a notice from the National Anti-Doping Agency over an alleged doping violation.
The revised squad includes six new additions and 15 athletes returning to the team, taking the total strength to 77. The changes underline the last-minute challenges facing Indian athletics ahead of the continental showpiece.
The Asian Games will run from September 19 to October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, with India seeking to build on its performances at the previous editions. Chopra’s absence will be one of the biggest talking points for the Indian contingent, but the selection of Yashvir provides another young Indian athlete with an opportunity to step into the spotlight on a major international stage.