AFI sets stringent qualification criteria ahead of Paris Olympics 2024

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has laid forth a plan for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Its purpose is to make the event more successful than the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. AFI is looking for more than one medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will take place next year in France from July 26 to August 11. Hence, it has also established stringent qualification standards for the same.

“We have discussed with the respective coaches this week to chalk out an international exposure tour for the core group of athletes in the buildup to the Paris Olympic Games,” Adille Sumariwalla, President of AFI, said in New Delhi on Saturday.

The AFI has so established severe evaluation requirements for candidates for the Olympic Games in Paris. During the final selection trials in June, the athletes will have to perform at the level of a 16th place result in their respective sports in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021. This is in addition to meeting the World Athletics qualification criteria for the Paris Olympic Games during the qualification period.

We have set strict qualification criteria to ensure athletes repeat their home performance at the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla added.

The 63rd National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships will be place in Panchkula, Haryana, from June 27 to 30 next year. According to the AFI president, it will be the final platform to qualify for the Olympic Games.

Exposure Tour for Men’s Relay Team:

The top 14 teams in the World Athletics Relays in May will receive an automatic ticket to the Olympic Games, according to Sumariwalla. The national 4x400m men’s relay team extended their winning streak to the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games in China. It came after finishing fifth with a time under three minutes at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships in Hungary in August.

“The members of the 4x400m men’s and women’s relay squads will go to the Bahamas for a four-week exposure tour ahead of the World Athletics Relays scheduled to be held on May 4-5 in Nassau. Competition in the Bahamas will be one big opportunity for the Indian relay squad to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla added AFI Annual General Meeting.

The relay team members will travel on an exposure tour to the Bahamas. However, winning an automatic qualification slot for the Olympics in the Bahamas for the women’s and mixed 4x400m relay teams might be difficult.

“We are expecting good results from the men’s 4x400m relay team in the Bahamas and at the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla added. “The national camp has started and athletes have nearly five months to prepare and deliver the goods at the right time.”

“Coaches in coordination with the athletes have prepared plans to peak at the right time,” the AFI president said.

The race walker team intends to go to Turkey to compete in the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in order to qualify for the Paris Olympics. It will take place in Antalya on April 21-22.