Anu Raghavan Explained

Anu Raghavan
Sport:Track and field
Event:400 metres, 400 metres hurdles
Birth Date:1993 4, df=yes
Birth Place:Palakkad, Kerala, India
Show-Medals:yes

Anu Raghavan (born 20 April 1993) is an Indian sprinter who competes in the 400 metres and 400 metres hurdles events.

In 2016, she filed a case in the Kerala High Court against Athletics Federation of India (AFI), after having been left out of the Indian 4 × 400 metres relay team for the 2016 Summer Olympics, calling it a battle against "corruption and nepotism within the Federation."[1] [2] She stated that she was left out of the Olympics contingent as well as the South Asian Games contingent earlier that year because she "chose to train outside the national camp."[3]

Raghavan won the silver medal in the 400 metres hurdles event at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, clocking a time of 57.22 seconds.

[4]

Raghavan won the bronze medal in the 400 metres hurdles event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang where she clocked a timing of 56.92. She was awarded the medal after the Gold medal winner Kemi Adekoya from Bahrain was disqualified due to the consumption of a banned substance.

Career

International Performance[5] !Date!Competition!Event!Country!Category!Race!Position!Result
12 July 20122012 World Junior Championships in Athletics400m HurdlesSpainCH471:01.14
8 July 2013Kazan Universiade400m HurdlesRussiaBH161:02.74
4 June 20152015 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesChina457.79
6 June 20152015 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesChinaAF457.79
11 June 2016Erzurum400mTurkeyFF2155.18
12 June 2016Erzurum Sprint/Relay Challenge Cup4x400 Metres RelayTurkeyFF23:34.72
18 June 2016Kędzierzyn-Koźle400mPolandFF1154.27
24 June 2016Bydgoszcz400mPolandFF453.72
7 July 20172017 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesIndiaGLH2358.26
8 July 20172017 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesIndiaGLF257.22
28 July 2018Czech Athletics Championships400m HurdlesCzech RepublicBH4359.36
15 August 2018Czech Athletics Championships400m HurdlesCzech RepublicFF257.43
26 August 20182018 Asian Games400m HurdlesIndonesiaAH2356.77
27 August 20182018 Asian Games400m HurdlesIndonesiaAF3[6] 56.92

Personal Bests!Discipline!Performance!Place!Date!Results Score
200 Metres25.12Patiala28 December 2013931
400 Metres53.54New Delhi29 April 20161067
400 Metres Hurdles56.77Jakarta26 August 20181118
4x400 Metres Relay3:34.72Erzurum12 June 20161099

Rio Olympics 2016

Despite being a member of the World Championship 2015, Beijing and Asian Meet 2015 at Wulan, China, Raghavan was excluded from the 4 x 400 relay team set to represent India at the Rio Olympics 2016. Her petition alleged that the AFI as well as the Sports Authority of India (SAI), based on recommendations made by Yuri Ogorodnik- the national track and field coach- picked a slower and dope-tainted Ashwini Akkunji instead of Raghavan.

The Rio-bound team consisted of M. R. Poovamma, Nirmala Sheoran, Anilda Thomas and Debashree Mazumdar, with two 'reserve' spots contested by Raghavan, Akkunji, Priyanka Pawar and Jisna Mathew. The AFI and Ogorodnik later came to the decision that the spots be given away to Mathew and Akkunji.

Claiming injustice, Raghavan sought legal resort and filed a petition with the Kerala High Court, which later directed the AFI to include Raghavan in the team. However, the AFI claimed that the last date for inclusion of athletes had already passed. She also said that the AFI cited Akkunji's experience as the criterion for her selection,"but they are defending her with her performance record from six years back".

In November 2015, the AFI also asked Raghavan to join a national camp, and any athlete who fails to fails to attend the camp would not be considered for the Olympics. Raghavan, however, pointed out that her post-graduate education would be adversely impacted if she attends the camp, which solicited no response from the AFI.

Notes and References

  1. News: Singh. Navneet. Athlete Anu Raghavan goes to court over Rio relay team omission. 14 August 2017. Hindustan Times. 22 July 2016.
  2. News: Nepotism cost me Olympics spot, alleges Anu Raghavan. 14 August 2017. Manorama Online. 22 July 2016.
  3. News: AS. Shan. Revenge and record for Anu in grudge race. 14 August 2017. The New Indian Express. 2 June 2017.
  4. News: Misra. Sundeep. Asian Athletics Championships: Anu Raghavan proves a point with silver, Sudha Singh secures gold. 14 August 2017. Firstpost. 9 July 2017.
  5. Web site: Raghavan ANU Profile iaaf.org. www.iaaf.org. 2019-07-27.
  6. Web site: Asiad champion tests positive, Anu Raghavan to get 400m hurdles bronze - Times of India. The Times of India. 2019-07-27.