Chopra missing the event was on expected lines as his focus this season will be the Diamond League Meetings and the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
“We have got the visas (of the concerned athletes) in the evening (Thursday) through the efforts of the Sports Ministry and (South Korean) Embassy. The matter is sorted out,” AFI Secretary General Sandeep Mehta told reporters before the team departure here.
It’s learnt that the visas of 25 athletes were delayed due to various reasons.
Out of the 59 athletes, those based at Thiruvananthapuram training centre will leave for Gumi Thursday night from the Kerala capital itself. Those whose training bases are in Bangaluru, Patiala and Mumbai will leave from Delhi, also Thursday night.
“The athletes will have two to three days of acclimatisation in Korea. We have picked the best team and we are expecting 25 to 30 medals this time,” Mehta added.
In the 2023 edition of the biennial championships in Bangkok, India had won 27 medals (6 gold, 12 silver, 9 bronze) to finish third in the standings behind Japan (16 gold, 11 silver, 10 bronze) and China (8 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze).
“We have also fielded teams in the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, and we are hoping to qualify for the World Championships,” the AFI secretary general said.
The Indian men’s 4x400m and 4x400m mixed teams have failed to qualify for the World Championships through the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, earlier this month. PTI PDS PDS KHS AM AM AM