Tokyo 2020: India's 4x400M relay squad miss out final berth despite creating Asian record

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Bengaluru, August 6: India's 4x400M relay quartet of Muhammed Anas, Noah Nirmal Tom Arokia Rajiv and and Amoj Jacob put up a gritty show and finished fourth in Heats 2 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a new Asian record of 3:00:25.

The previous Asian record of 3:00.56 was set by Qatar at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.

However, the effort was still not enough to qualify for the finals.

The quartet had sealed India's place in 4x400M men's relay event at Tokyo 2020 with a quality run at the Inter State meet and continued in the same vein at the Japanese capital, though it did not seal them a place in the finals.

Poland finished first with a season's best time of 2:55:55 followed by followed by Jamaica (2:59:29) and Belgium (2:59:37).

The season's best in the event was 3:01.89.

Only the top three from each Heats qualify for the final.

Despite missing out on a final berth, India's performance was one of their best in recent times as they were competing in the second heat that had heavyweights like Jamaica and Poland in the fray.

Eight teams -- top three from the two heats and the two best finishers from the rest across the races -- qualify for the final.

India's performance saw them finish ninth in the overall standings.

Five teams from the first heat run earlier in the day had already dipped below the three-minute mark, which made it challenging for the remaining eight teams in the second heat.

The second heat started with Dariusz Kowaluk of Poland and Jamaica's Demish Gaye setting the early pace.

India's Anas, running on the inside lane, did well to eke ahead of the runners from South Africa and Colombia.

Noah then handed over the race to the experienced Rajiv with India placed fifth at the time.

The gap, however, proved to be a bit too much for India's anchor runner Amoj , who despite his best efforts fell short of making the final.

(With inputs from World Athletics)