FILE PHOTO: The 4x100m mixed team of S Tamilarasu, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur (in pic) and SS Sneha failed to finish the race as the baton slipped out of Kujur’s hands after it was handed over to him by second leg runner Gandhe. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

All five Indian quartets failed to make it to the respective final rounds on the opening day of the World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on Saturday.

They will still compete on the second day of the event on Sunday in an additional round for four slots for the 2027 World Athletics Championships.

The men’s 4x400m team of Dharmveer Choudhary, Rajesh Ramesh, Vishal TK and Manu TS, however, produced a creditable performance, finishing fourth in heat number three with a time of 3 minute 00.32 seconds.

The second leg runner Rajesh was briefly in the clear lead, while the national 400m record holder Vishal, who ran the third leg, was also neck-and-neck in the leading pack.

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But the quarter-milers eventually finished fourth, behind Belgium (2:59.83), Qatar (2:59.83) and Spain (3:00.26) in heat number three and 12th overall to fail to qualify for the final round on Sunday.

The top two teams in each of the three heats and the next two quickest advance to the finals on day two, while also securing their qualification for the 2027 World Athletics Championships.

The remaining teams get another chance for 2027 Beijing World Championships qualification on Day 2 in an additional round where the top two teams in each of the two heats will make the cut.

The first to take the field was the mixed 4x100m team of S Tamilarasu, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and SS Sneha in heat number two.

But the quartet failed to finish the race (DNF) as the baton slipped out of Kujur’s hands after it was handed over to him by second leg runner Nithya Gandhe. Tamilarasu ran the first leg.

Then, the mixed 4x400m team of Theerthesh P Shetty, Ansa Babu, Amoj Jacob and Rashdeep Kaur finished sixth in heat number one with a time of 3 minute and 16 seconds.

The women’s 4x100m team of Tamanna, Gandhe, Sudeshna Shivankar and Sneha SS did a little better, finishing fifth in heat number one with a time of 43.97 seconds.

Disappointment for the Indian camp continued with the men’s 4x100m team of Harsh Santosh Raut, Ragul Kumar, Kujur and Gurindervir Singh ending at the eighth and last spot in heat number three with a time of 39.07 seconds.

Published on May 02, 2026