India name 27-member cycling squad for CWG

NEW DELHI - The Cycle Federation of India (CFI) Friday announced a 27-member squad for the Commonwealth Games even as the cyclists are yet to receive their cycles for the Oct 3-14 event.

The Manipuri duo of Bikram Singh and Rameshwari Devi will respectively lead the Indian men’s and women’s challenge. Maniton Singh was the surprise omission from the squad even after he emerged as the fastest Indian in the Delhi Cyclothon international race Sunday.

The team of 27 was shortlisted from 38 probables after four trials were conducted in Patiala and Delhi over a period of two years.

Indian coach Chayan Chowdhury said: “We have a new and a young team. We have got good exposure in the last three years. We had camps in and outside India and that should help us produce good results. I am expecting not more than 2 medals to be honest,” Chowdhury told IANS.

Forty-eight medals are at stake in 14 track events, (eight for men and six for women) and two road events (mass start and time trial).

The squad:

Men: Bikram Singh, Sombir, H.S. Prince, Amrit Singh, Gurbaj Singh, Rakesh Kumar, Rajender Bisnoi, C. Rajesh, Atul Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Harpreet Singh, Sarpreet Singh, Sandeep Malik, Dayala Ram Saran, Vinod Malik, Satbir Singh, Paramjit Singh, Hetraj Singh.

Women: Mahita Mohan, Rameshwari Devi, Rejini V, Y. Sunita Devi, Pana Chaudhary, Sayona, Suchitra Devi, Helen, Renu Bala Devi.

Coaches: Graham Seers (foreign coach), Chayan Chowdhury (head coach), Narender Singh, Kuldeep Singh, Ruma Chattopadhyay, Kiran Bala and Amandeep Singh.

–Indo–Asian News Service