New Delhi: India’s men’s 4x400m relay team delivered a sensational performance at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships, clocking their best-ever timing of 3:06.28 to top the heats and qualify for the final. The team, comprising Rince Joseph, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, and Mohit Kumar, outpaced strong opponents including China (3:06.79) and hosts South Korea (3:10.05) to secure a direct entry into the final. The Indian quartet will run from lane five in the championship final later in the evening. The final promises tough competition, with top contenders like Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, and China in the fray. Notably, Sri Lanka holds the season’s fastest timing of 3:01.56.
Meanwhile, in the women’s 10,000m final, Sanjeevani Jadhav put up a strong fight, recording a season-best 33:08.17 to finish fifth. She was closely followed by fellow Indian Seema, who came in sixth with a time of 33:08.23. The event was dominated by Kazakhstan’s Daisy Jepkemei, who clinched gold with a remarkable 30:48.44, while Japan’s Ririrak Hironika and Mikuni Yada took silver and bronze respectively.
So far, India has bagged eight medals at the continental event — two gold, four silver, and two bronze — as the team continues its strong showing on the Asian athletics stage.
