Paris Olympics 2024: Annu Rani, Jyothi Yarraji Secure Athletics Quotas Through Rankings

New Delhi: Asian Games gold medallist Annu Rani and Asian athletics champion Jyothi Yarraji have secured Paris 2024 Olympics athletics quotas for India via their world rankings.

The qualification window for athletics events for Paris 2024 ended on June 30. However, the final Road to Paris 2024 standings were officially confirmed by World Athletics on Tuesday.

Athletes could either obtain Paris 2024 quotas for their country by breaching the entry standard for their respective events or by finishing within the cut-off on the Road to Paris rankings after the qualification window ended, as per Olympics.com.

Javelin thrower Annu Rani finished 21st in the Road to Paris rankings with the top 32 athletes making the cut for the upcoming Summer Games

Jyothi, meanwhile, occupied the 34th position in women’s 100m hurdles to make the cut-off of 40. Both Annu and Jyothi are the national record holders in their respective events.

Tajinderpal Singh Toor, a two-time men’s shot put Asian champion, also secured the Paris 2024 quota after being ranked 23rd in his event. In the women’s shot put event, Asian Championships silver medallist Abha Khatua was also ranked 23rd.

The top 32 in the Road to Paris rankings for both events secured quotas.

Parul Chaudhary, ranked 34th in the women’s 5000m event which had a cutoff of 42, also secured the Paris 2024 quota. She had also met the Paris 2024 Olympics women’s 3000m steeplechase qualification standard of 9:23.00 after clocking 9:15.31 in Hungary last year.

In men’s triple jump, two Indian athletes – Abdulla Aboobacker and Praveen Chithravel – have managed to make the 32-man cut. While Aboobacker occupies the 21st place in the Road to Paris rankings, Chithravel is ranked 23rd.

Sarvesh Kushare has also secured a quota in the men’s high jump after finishing 23rd in a cutoff list of 32. Tejaswin Shankar, at 37th, finished outside the shortlist.

India’s men’s long jump national record holder Jeswin Aldrin just fell short of the cutoff list of 32 and finished 33rd in the world rankings.

However, his compatriot Murali Sreeshankar, seventh on the list after meeting the long jump entry standard last year, is certain to miss the Paris 2024 Olympics after sustaining an injury. This could lift Jeswin within the cutoff list of the top 32 athletes.

Suraj Panwar also made the cut in men’s 20km race walk event through Road to Paris rankings. Akshdeep Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht, Ram Baboo and Vikash Singh had met the entry standard in the event before and India can send a maximum of three among the five.

National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, and as such, athletes’ participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024, as per Olympics.com.

Earlier, India secured 14 quotas in athletics either by meeting entry standards or by making the cut through designated qualifying competitions.

Indians who secured Olympic quotas through road to Paris Athletics rankings:

Jyothi Yarraji – Women’s 100m hurdles

Annu Rani – Women’s javelin throw

Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Men’s shot put

Abha Khatua – Women’s shot put

Praveen Chithravel – Men’s triple jump

Abdulla Aboobacker – Men’s triple jump

Sarvesh Kushare – Men’s high jump

Parul Chaudhary – Women’s 5000m

Suraj Panwar – Men’s 20km race walk.