The Indian campaign at the World Relay Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, got off to a disappointing start on Sunday morning. All three relay teams competing fell short of expectations, with the men’s team failing to even finish the race due to an injury.
World Relay mixed relay stumbles
The day began with a lackluster performance from the Indian mixed 4x400m relay team. Rajesh Ramesh, Rupal, Avinash Krishna Kumar, and Jyothika Sri Dandi finished last in their heat and 25th overall, missing out on a direct qualification spot for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The top two teams in each heat, USA and Nigeria, secured their Olympic berths.
India Women’s Team Shows Improvement
A slightly brighter performance came from the women’s 4x400m quartet of Vithya Ramraj, MR Poovamma, Jyothika, and Subha V. They finished fifth in their heat and 14th overall with a time of 3:29.74s. While this wasn’t enough for direct qualification, it did represent a slight improvement compared to the mixed team’s performance.
India men’s team devastated by injury
The biggest setback came in the men’s 4x400m race. Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Rajesh Ramesh (competing for the second time that day), Muhammad Ajmal, and Amoj Jacob were expected to contend for a qualifying spot.
However, disaster struck when Ramesh picked up an injury early in his leg, forcing him to hobble and eventually stop. The team was unable to finish the race, shattering their Olympic qualification hopes.
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Disappointment despite past success
This result is particularly disheartening considering the Indian men’s relay team’s recent achievements. They hold the national and Asian records for the 4x400m relay, set at the World Athletics Championships last year with a time of 2:59.05. They are also the reigning Asian Games champions in this event.
Second Chance for Paris Olympics
Despite the setbacks, all hope is not lost. The Indian relay teams will have a second opportunity to qualify for the Paris Olympics on Monday in the second round of qualifications. This round will include all teams that missed the top two spots in their initial heats.
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