He is one of the country’s fastest rising athletes, one who has been on a record-breaking spree. But Tamil Nadu hurdler A. Dharun has suffered an injury and is almost certain to miss the Asian Championships which begin in Doha, Qatar, on April 21.

“Yes, Dharun is injured and it will be good for him if he misses the Asians because his recovery will be faster then,” Bahadur Singh, the Chief National Coach, told The Hindu from Patiala on Friday evening.

“Our target for him is to do something in the Olympics (next year, in Tokyo), he is capable of doing it. But don’t worry, the second boy — Kerala’s M.P. Jabir — is equally good, he is in very good shape.”

Bahadur confirmed that Manjit Singh, who won the Jakarta Asiad 800m gold, will not go for the Asians.

“Manjit Singh also won’t be able to participate. I have got information that there is an injury so there is no question of him going.

“We will not send athletes who will not be ale to perform, we will only send people who are medal hopes,” said the chief coach.

Jisna pulls out

Meanwhile Jisna Mathew, the 400m bronze medallist at the last Asians in Bhubaneswar in 2017, has pulled out of the women’s 4x400m relay team.