Doha: The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after reaching the finals in the World Championships here on Saturday.
The mixed 4x400m relay team of Muhammed Anas, V. K. Vismaya, Jisna Mathew and Tom Nirmal Noah clocked 3 minutes 16.14 seconds to finish third in heat number 2 and book a berth in next year’s Olympics.
The top 3 in each of the two heats and the next two fastest qualify for the final of the World Championships to be held on Sunday. India entered the final as one of the automatic qualifiers.
The finalists (top 8) in relay races in the World Championships are automatic qualifiers for the Tokyo Olympics.
Anas ran the first leg and after that Vismaya led the whole second leg, giving India the lead midway into the race. Third leg runner Jisna was overtaken by Japan Poland. The baton exchange between Jisna and final leg runner Noah was not that smooth and there was loss of split seconds. But in the end, Noah was able to finish third to take India to the World Championships final and Tokyo Olympics.
India finished seventh overall with United States on top of timings chart with 3:12.42. It will be tough for India to win a medal in the final on Sunday but an important objective of the contingent in this championships has been realised. There was an air of relief in the Indian camp.
“Yes, the team has reached the final in mixed 4x400m relay and by virtue of that it has also qualified for the Olympics,” Athletics Federation of India’s Planning Commission Chairman Lalit Bhanot said.
