Athletics Federation of India still hopeful of last-minute Paris Olympics qualification in mixed 4x400m relay

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is still hoping for a last-minute Paris Olympics qualification in the mixed 4x400m relay event and in its bid to achieve that, it has invited Sri Lanka and Maldives as two international teams at the National Inter-State Championships beginning here on Thursday.

But achieving the target could be a Herculean task for the Indian quartet as it will have to break the national record of 3:14.12, which the team of Muhammed Ajmal, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan had clocked while winning gold at the Asian Relay Championships in Bangkok last month.

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Both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams booked Paris tickets at Bahamas World Relays Championships last month but the mixed team failed to do so.

“We have invited Sri Lanka and Maldives for the mixed 4x400m relay race and we are hoping that our team can run below 3 minute 11.87 seconds to qualify for the Olympics,” AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said at the pre-event press conference on Wednesday.

At least two international teams are required to take the timing into consideration by the World Athletics and that’s why Sri Lanka and Maldives have been invited.

Only 16 teams will compete in mixed 4x400m relay event in Paris and 14 have already booked their berths during the World Relays Championships in Nassau last month. Italy (3:10.69) and Kenya (3:11.88) are the front-runners to take the two remaining slots.

India will have to run at least 3:11.87 before the June 30 deadline to have any chance of booking the ticket to Paris.

“It may look difficult to run 3:11.87 but it’s not so and we can do it if our runners run flat. I am very hopeful of our mixed 4x400m relay team booking Paris berth. If they do so, they will reach the finals in Paris Olympics, you can take this from me.

“Personally, I feel that the mixed 4x400m relay will be the next big thing after the men’s 4x400m relay, though many people may not agree with this.”

Talking about the National Inter-State Championships, Sumariwalla initially said that top shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor has been given exemption as he is recovering from an injury – right ankle.

But, after consulting chief coach Radhakrishnan Nair, who was sitting by his side, Sumariwalla later said Toor may take part in the championships.

“He is feeling better and so he (Toor) may take part.”

It, however, remains to be seen whether Toor takes the field or not. He is expected to make the Paris cut through the world ranking quota.

Toor, an Asian record-holder till a few days back, told PTI on Tuesday that he was dealing with slight ankle pain and his doctor told him not to throw for three to four weeks. But his name figured in Wednesday’s revised entry list of the AFI.

“Some race walkers (Akshdeep Singh and Priyanka Goswami, national record-holders in men’s and women’s 20km event) have been rested as they have already qualified for the Olympics,” the AFI chief said.

“Otherwise, nobody has been given exemption, other than Neeraj Chopra,” he added.

It has already been decided that Chopra will skip the championships as there is only a few days gap before the Paris Diamond League on July 7, in which he is set to compete. He also competed in the Federation Cup in Bhubaneswar last month, winning a gold.

Last month, Sumariwalla had made it clear that except for Chopra, it will be mandatory for all other athletes to participate in the National Inter-State Championships to get selected for the Paris Olympics.

Around 20 Indian track and field athletes have already qualified for the Olympics and the AFI is hoping to take the number to more than 30 when the deadline closes on June 30.

AFI talking to international body to host global events

Sumariwalla said the AFI is talking to the World Athletics to host a Continental Tour event in India, though he did not give any time frame.

“We are talking and discussing with World Athletics to have one of the Continental Tour events, if not two, in India. The conversation (with WA) is on. First, we are finalising the venue because it can’t be for just one year. It has to be for a period of time (three to five years). Consistency will have to be there. The facility should be good, the track will have to be a new track, not an eight-year-old one.

“Second is the time slot of the event, which fits into our calendar. I don’t want a March event when my athletes are in pre-season. I don’t want an event in October when the season is over.”

World Athletics Continental Tour is an annual series of independent track and field competitions. The Tour forms the second tier of international one-day meetings after the Diamond League.