NEW DELHI, June 23: Asian Championships silver-winning decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, fast-rising sprinter Animesh Kujur and the women's 4x100m relay team were included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme's developmental group, while gymnast Pranati Nayak was added to the Target Asian Games Group in the latest round of evaluation by the Sports Ministry.
The 26-year-old Tejaswin, who is mostly based in the USA, became the first Indian to win two decathlon medals in the Asian Championships by upgrading his bronze from the previous edition to a silver this time in Gumi, South Korea last month.
The 22-year-old Kujur, on the other hand, claimed a bronze medal in the men's 200m event with a national record time of 20.32 seconds. This was his first medal at an international event.
The athletes included in the TOPS developmental group are entitled to a monthly allowance of Rs 25,000 and are considered long-term medal prospects.
Also making the developmental list was the quartet of 4x100m quartet of Abinaya Rajarajan, Sneha Shanuvalli, Nithya Gandhe and Srabani Nanda. They won a silver medal in the event at the Asian meet.
—(PTI)
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