India’s men’s 4x400m relay team delivered a solid performance at the Open Relays, clocking 3:01.43 and placing 16th overall — currently within the qualification zone for the World Relays 2026.
The team featured three athletes with sub-46 season bests: Rajesh Ramesh (45.26), Manu TS (45.96), and Amoj Jacob (45.99), underlining the growing depth in Indian quarter-mile running.
However, national record holder Vishal TK, who owns a personal best of 45.12, is yet to feature in the lineup. His inclusion could be crucial, provided he returns to sub-46 form in upcoming competitions.
A look back at India’s historic run at the 2023 World Athletics Championships offers a clear benchmark. That team, which broke the Asian record and finished fifth in the final, had four athletes capable of running sub-46 seconds.
The formula appears straightforward — to break the three-minute barrier again, India likely needs four runners consistently under 46 seconds.
With the current squad showing promise, the question now is whether they can bridge that final gap and return to sub-3 territory this season.