Athletic equipment manufactured by Indian companies will be visible at Tokyo games

Three Indian athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics will wear brands created in their own country.

Although India is far from becoming an athletics superpower, equipment supplied by Indian companies will be visible throughout the Olympic Games field events at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium. Three of the six businesses recognised by World Athletics as providing implements for shot put, discus, and hammer throw events are situated in India: Anand Track and Field Equipment (ATE), Bhalla International, and Nelco.

During the Olympics, which begin on July 23, they will give shot put (7.26kg), discus (2kg), and hammer (7.26kg). The participants can choose from a holding rack of these implements at the competition location.

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“We are providing six implements each in shot put, discus throw, and hammer throw. So, for men and women’s events together, we are providing 36 implements during the Tokyo Olympics,” Adarsh Anand of ATE told PTI.

“Our implements have been in use in the Olympics since 1992 Barcelona Games till now. In fact, our journey with athletics started in Tokyo during the 1991 World Championships,” Anand added.

The firm has a registered office in Meerut as well as a manufacturing facility in New Delhi. Bhalla International will also supply 36 implements, six each for the men’s and women’s shot put, discus throw, and hammer throw events.

Many of the competing athletes bring their own custom-made tools, such as Neeraj Chopra’s Nemeth or Nordic brand javelin. However, some athletes will use the implements maintained in the tournament site’s racks. Seema Punia, a veteran thrower, will use a discus made by Bhalla International, a Meerut-based company that is one of the country’s largest sports products exporters.

Three Indian athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics will wear brands created in their own country.