An Indian quartet consisting of Muhammad Anas, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Muhammad Ajmal, and Kiran Pahal etched their names in the record books at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula on Sunday, setting a new national record of 3:12.87s in the 4x400m mixed relay. However, despite the record-breaking performance, the team fell short of securing a coveted spot at the Paris Olympics via the world rankings route.
To secure a spot through the world rankings, India needed to clock a time under 3:11.88s, surpassing Kenya in the rankings. The team narrowly missed the qualification mark, leaving them with a glimmer of hope for securing a spot through other means.
India fielded two teams in the competition. Team A, comprising the record-breaking quartet, and Team B, consisting of T. Santhosh Kumar, R. Vithya Ramraj, Amoj Jacob, and Subha Venkatesan. Sri Lanka and Maldives were the other national quartets participating, with state teams from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Delhi filling the remaining lanes.
India B finished with a time of 3:14.22s, narrowly missing the previous national record of 3:14.12s set earlier this year at the Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. The team at that competition consisted of Ajmal, Jyothika, Amoj, and Subha. Despite the impressive performances by both Indian teams, the focus now shifts to exploring alternative pathways to securing a place at the Paris Olympics.
