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." 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."
Anu won the silver medal in the 400 metres hurdles event at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships, clocking a time of 57.22 seconds.
Anu 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 PerformanceDateCompetitionEventCountryCategoryRacePositionResult12 July 20122012 World Junior Championships in Athletics400m HurdlesSpainCH471:01.148 July 2013Kazan Universiade400m HurdlesRussiaBH161:02.744 June 20152015 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesChina 457.796 June 20152015 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesChinaAF457.7911 June 2016Erzurum400mTurkeyFF2155.1812 June 2016Erzurum Sprint/Relay Challenge Cup4x400 Metres RelayTurkeyFF23:34.7218 June 2016Kędzierzyn-Koźle400mPolandFF1154.2724 June 2016Bydgoszcz400mPolandFF453.727 July 20172017 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesIndiaGLH2358.268 July 20172017 Asian Athletics Championships400m HurdlesIndiaGLF257.2228 July 2018Czech Athletics Championships400m HurdlesCzech RepublicBH4359.3615 August 2018Czech Athletics Championships400m HurdlesCzech RepublicFF257.4326 August 20182018 Asian Games400m HurdlesIndonesiaAH2356.7727 August 20182018 Asian Games400m HurdlesIndonesiaAF356.9228 September 20262026 Asian Games400m HurdlesJapanFF555.88
+Personal BestsDisciplinePerformancePlaceDateResults Score200 Metres25.12Patiala28 December 2013931400 Metres53.54New Delhi29 April 20161067400 Metres Hurdles56.77Jakarta26 August 201811184x400 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, Anu 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 Anu.
The Rio-bound team consisted of M. R. Poovamma, Nirmala Sheoran, Anilda Thomas and Debashree Mazumdar, with two 'reserve' spots contested by Anu, 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, Anu sought legal resort and filed a petition with the Kerala High Court, which later directed the AFI to include Anu 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 Anu to join a national camp, and any athlete who fails to fails to attend the camp would not be considered for the Olympics. Anu, however, pointed out that her post-graduate education would be adversely impacted if she attends the camp, which solicited no response from the AFI.
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