IAAF World Championships 2017: Indian athletes to watch out for at London meet

Big names in track and field are heading to London as the 16th edition of IAAF World Championships kickstarts on Friday, August 4.

While decorated Olympians of the likes of Usain Bolt and Mo Farah will be looking to add to their impressive medal tallies at the world meet for one last time, India will continue its search for the elusive medal.

Notably, in the 34-year history of the world meet, which comes next only to Fifa World Cup and Olympic Games in terms of popularity, India has won only one medal -- Anju Bobby George's long jump bronze at 2003 Paris meet.

Boosted by the success of the athletes at Asian Athletics Championships last month, Athletics Federation of India has sent a 25-member strong squad to London.

14 male athletes and 11 female athletes will be in action to bring glory to the country. Most of them had impressed during India's table-topping performance at the Asian Championships in Bhubaneshwar.

Here is a list of Indian athletes to watch out for at the world meet.

Neeraj Chopra - Men's Javelin Throw

If there is anyone who can join Bobby George with a World Championships medal, it is this world junior champion from Haryana. The 19-year-old created history last year when he threw 86.48m to take Gold at U20 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Poland.

Neeraj has continued his fine run this year as well. In July, he finished fifth at the prestigious Paris Diamond League, which was shortly followed by an Asian Athletics Gold. More international experience came his way when he finished seventh at the Monaco Diamond League last month.

His season best of 85.23m is among the top-15 throws of the season. The young athlete will face a lot of competition, especially from the German duo of Johannes Vetter and Thomas Rohler, who have consistently thrown 90m+ this season.

Season best: 85.23

2017 top throw: Vetter: 94.44m

Dutee Chand - Women's 100m

Despite being involved in the fight against IAAF's hyperandrogenism regulations, Dutee is back on the world stage.

The 21-year-old Odisha sprinter did not make the 100m qualifying mark of 11.26s as she finished with a bronze at Asian Championships at her hometown with a timing of 11.52s earlier this month.

However, Dutee got an invitation from IAAF to compete at the world meet as her season best is 11.30s, which is close to the qualifying mark.

Dutee had been fighting against the world body's hyperandrogenism regulations, according to which a woman with excessive male hormone testosterone has an unfair advantage over other women.

As the world body is preparing to appeal against the Court of Arbitration of Sport's ruling that came in favour of her in 2015, Dutee will be motivated to make her mark at the world meet.

Dutee needs to punch above her weight to even qualify for the final stages. Notably, she missed the Inter-State Athletics Championships in Guntur, which was held shortly after the Asian Championships.

Season best: 11.30s

2017 top timing: Elaine Thompson (Jamaica) - 10.71s

Govindan Lakshmanan - Men's 5000m

Govindan Lakshmanan was the show-stealer at the Asian meet last month. The 27-year-old Tamil Nadu distance runner completed a double as he won both the 5,000m and the 10,000m race.

Lakshmanan will only participate in the 5,000m at the upcoming world meet as his 10,000m season best of 29:24.46 is well below the qualification mark.

Lakshmanan's best in the 5,000m event though came at the Federation Cup at Patiala in June when he clocked 14:02.90 to win his fourth straight Gold at the event.

Also read: Excited to race against Mo Farah, Lakshmanan tells IBTimes India

In the race that has been dominated by the likes of Mo Farah along with African distance runners, Govindan has little chance of finishing among the top-10, let alone a podium finish.

However, it will be a momentous occasion for the Indian athlete as he is set to realise his dream of running against Farah, who is the favourite to win the event.

Muhammed Anas - Men's 400m

The 21-year-old Kerala sprinter, in 2016, became only the third Indian athlete to take part in the 400m race at Olympics after Milkha Singh and KM Binu.

In May this year, he smashed the national record in the men's 400m event to win a Gold at the Indian Grand Prix Athletics in New Delhi.

The record timing of 45.32s was enough for the Indian athlete to bag a world championships berth.

He continued his good showing at the Asian Championships, winning a Gold after clocking 45.77s.

Season best: 45.32s

2017 top timing: Wayde Van Niekerk (South Africa) - 43.62s

4x400 Relay teams

Indian relay teams have always made their marks at continental meets. However, they have not been able to successfully make a mark at the highest level.

While it once again looks difficult for the teams to come up with top performances in London, they are certainly worth following.

The men's relay team consisting Arokia Rajiv, Amoj Jacob, Kunhu Mohammed, Mohan Kumar Raja, Sachin Roby won the Gold at the Asian meet after coming up with an impressive timing of 3:02.92s, which is among the top-20 in 2017.

On the other hand, women's team -- Poovamma Raju Machettira, Jisna Mathew, Anilda Thomas, Jauna Murmu, Anu Raghavan -- also impressed with a gold medal-winning timing of 3:31.35s in Bhubaneswar.

Men's 4x400m relay

Season best: 3:02.92s

2017 top timing: USA - 2:59.95s

Women's 4x400m relay

Season best: 3:31.25s

2017 top timing: USA - 3:23.13s