The Indian men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams have clinched qualification for the Paris Olympics following their second-place finishes in their respective second-round heats at the World Athletics Relays.
In the women’s event, the quartet of Rupal Chaudhary, M R Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi, and Subha Venkatesan secured their ticket to the Paris Games by clocking 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds, finishing behind Jamaica.
Similarly, the men’s team comprising Muhammad Anas, Yahiya, Muhammad Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv, and Amos Jacob secured their spot in the Olympics with a second-place finish in their heat, recording a collective timing of 3 minutes and 3.23 seconds.
The top two teams in each of the three heats in the second round were guaranteed qualification for the Olympics scheduled from July 26 to August 11. India’s women’s team had previously finished fifth in the first-round qualifying heat.
Notably, the men’s team faced initial setbacks during the first-round qualifying heat when runner Rajesh Ramesh withdrew due to cramps. With these latest qualifications, India’s contingent for the Paris Olympics now includes 19 track and field athletes, featuring defending javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra, among others.
