BREAKING: India’s Men’s and Mixed 4x400m Teams Miss World Championships Direct Qualification at World Athletics Relays 2025; Fourth-Place Finish in Mixed Relay, Seventh in Men’s Event Leaves Tokyo 25 Hopes on Performance Lists
India’s chances at World Athletics Championships 2025 hang in balance after relay teams fail to qualify
| 🚨 Breaking News Alert 🚨 |
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Disappointment in Guangzhou
India’s hopes of direct qualification to the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo suffered a setback as both the men’s and mixed 4x400m relay teams failed to secure a spot at the ongoing World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China.
Mixed Relay: A Missed Opportunity
The Indian mixed 4x400m team, comprising T Santhosh, Rupal, Vishal TK, and Subha Venkatesan, clocked 3:14.81 but finished fourth in their heat, narrowly missing out on the top-three cut. Italy (3:12.53), France (3:12.66), and Canada (3:12.95) grabbed the Tokyo 25 spots from their group.
Fun fact: The Indian team was just 2.14 seconds away from matching their national record of 3:12.87.
Men’s Relay: Looking at the Positives
The men’s team, with Jay Kumar, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, and Rince Joseph, finished seventh in their heat with a time of 3:04.49. Though they missed automatic qualification, Joseph’s split time of 45.79s was the fastest by an Indian.
Road to Tokyo 25: What’s Next?
With the World Relays not yielding the desired results, India’s prospects for the World Championships now hang on their performance in the qualification window (February 25, 2024, to August 24, 2025). A top-2 finish in their respective events during this period could punch their Tokyo 25 tickets.
“Did you know?”
Only 2 teams per event will qualify through this route, joining the 14 qualified through the World Relays.
Looking Ahead:sidebar;
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Q: What are the Indian national records in men’s and mixed 4x400m?
A: The national record in men’s 4x400m is 2:59.05, set at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. In the mixed 4x400m, it’s 3:12.87, clocked at the 2024 National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula.
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Q: How many teams qualify for the World Championships through World Relays and qualifying performances?
A: 14 teams qualify through World Relays, and 2 per event qualify through top performances during the qualification window.
Call to Action
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