India’s 4x400m men’s relay team delivered a stunning performance at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships, clocking their best-ever time of 3:06.28 to top the heats and advance to the final. The team, composed of Rince Joseph, Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, and Mohit Kumar, will start from lane five in the championship final later Thursday.
Their effort not only secured direct qualification but also saw India outpace strong teams from China (3:06.79) and host nation Korea (3:10.05). The final is expected to be fiercely contested, with teams from Sri Lanka, China, and Kazakhstan joining the lineup. Sri Lanka, in particular, will be a key contender with the season’s fastest timing of 3:01.56.
In the women’s 10,000m final, India also showed strong form. Sanjeevani Jadhav clocked her season's best time of 33:08.17, securing fifth place, while Seema followed close behind in sixth with 33:08.23. Although they missed the podium, the times marked significant personal milestones. The race was dominated by Daisy Jepkemei of Kazakhstan, who clocked a blazing 30:48.44. Japan's Ririrak Hironika and Mikuni Yada rounded out the top three with times of 30:56.32 and 31:12.21, respectively.
So far, India has secured eight medals at the continental meet, including two gold, four silver, and two bronze, reflecting the country’s growing prowess in track and field events at the Asian level. With the men's relay team heading into the final in top form and athletes across disciplines continuing to set personal and national records, India's campaign at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships is shaping up to be one of its strongest in recent memory.
