AFI not to send women’s 4x400m team for the Asians

With many top quartermilers skipping the National Federation athletics championships here, the Athletics Federation of India has decided not to send the women’s 4x400m relay team for next month’s Asian Championships in Gumi, South Korea.

National Games champion Aishwarya Mishra, this season’s fastest 400m runner, and last year’s topper Kiran Pahal missed the Federation meet here while Olympian Jyothika Sri Dandi’s entry for the National meet here was rejected as she had competed in a domestic meet prior to the Kochi event.

“We are not prepared for the international event (in the women’s relay) at the moment,” said AFI president Bahadur Singh Sagoo here on Thursday.

The AFI will announce the Indian team for the Asians on Friday.

The AFI had fixed the qualification standards for the Asian Championships but a few athletes who came close to them are also likely to be considered for the meet by the selection committee.