Javelin superstar Neeraj Chopra will be the cynosure as India begin their athletics campaign in the Asian Games on Friday, seeking to surpass last edition’s 20 medals. Chopra will lead a 65-strong team.

In the 2018 Asian Games, athletics had contributed 20 medals (8 gold, 9 silver, 3 bronze) out of India’s total of 70.

Long jumper Anju Bobby George made history when she won the bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Paris, the first Indian to clinch a medal at the Worlds.

Now a vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India, Anju spoke at length on the expectations on the eve of the athletics competition at the Asian Games.

“All the athletes are well prepared and though I would not want to put a number to it, it will be a huge haul in athletics ,“ Anju said at a virtual media interaction organised by Sony Sports Network. “I am expecting a medal in every discipline.

“In long jump Shaili (Singh), (Murali) Sreeshankar, Jeswin (Aldrin) are all doing exceptionally well. Javelin too, has apart from Neeraj, a strong medal prospect in Kishore Jena.”

Anju naturally has high expectations from protege Shaili. An under-20 World Athletics silver winner in 2021 and another silver at the Asian Athletics Championships in 2023, the 19-year-old has shown she is cut out for bigger things.

“Bobby (George, Anju’s husband) has been working on her speed and technique.”

Anju pointed out that India’s bench strength is great with a big bunch of athletes doing well on the world stage.

With the Asian record time of 2 minutes 59.05 seconds in the qualification round of the World Championships in August, India is a gold medal contender in the men’s 4x400m relay.

For a bunch of youngsters for whom this Asiad will be a first, Anju’s advice is to “take this meet as a stepping stone to the Olympics and World Championships.”