India Qualify for Mixed 4x400m Relay Final After Second-Place Finish in Heat at Asian Games 2026

India booked its place in the mixed 4x400m relay final at the Asian Games 2026 after the quartet of Manu TS, Poovamma Raju Machettira, Jay Kumar and Kiran Pahal finished second in Heat 2 on Thursday.

The Indian team clocked 3:16.23 to finish behind China in their heat and fourth overall among the teams qualifying for the final. It was a closely contested race, with India holding the lead heading into the final 400 metres before China produced a late surge to move ahead at the finish line.

Despite losing the heat by a narrow margin, India did enough to secure its place in the medal race, with the final scheduled for 6:45 PM IST.

Manu TS was given the responsibility of starting the race for India. The Indian runner produced a strong opening leg and managed to take the team into third position at the first baton exchange. That provided Poovamma with a solid platform for the second leg.

The Indian team remained firmly in contention as the race developed, with the early stages setting up a competitive battle among the leading teams.

The second leg belonged to Poovamma Raju Machettira, who delivered a superb run. She moved India into the lead and handed the baton to Jay Kumar with the Indian team at the front.

The change in position gave India an important advantage heading into the third leg, with the team now controlling the race. Jay Kumar initially extended that advantage and began his leg with a sizeable lead. However, the teams behind India continued to close the gap as the race entered its decisive stages.

China Closes the Gap

China and the United Arab Emirates began reducing India's advantage during Jay Kumar's leg. By the time the baton reached the final exchange, the gap had narrowed considerably.

The exchange between Jay Kumar and Kiran Pahal was not as smooth as India would have wanted, allowing the chasing teams to remain within striking distance. Nevertheless, India retained the lead going into the final 400 metres. That left Kiran with the responsibility of bringing the Indian quartet home and securing a place in the final.

Kiran Pahal maintained India's position at the front for much of the final leg. But China produced a strong late surge and gradually closed the remaining gap.

The Chinese anchor ultimately moved past India near the finish line, denying the Indian quartet victory in the heat. India crossed the line in 3:16.23, finishing second in Heat 2. The performance was nevertheless sufficient to secure qualification for the final.

While India finished second in its heat, the overall qualifying standings placed the quartet fourth among the eight teams progressing to the final. Bahrain topped the qualifying standings with 3:15.73. China followed in second with 3:15.97, just 0.24 seconds behind Bahrain.

Vietnam was third in 3:16.08, while India was fourth in 3:16.23. Japan qualified fifth in 3:16.52, followed by the United Arab Emirates in 3:17.00, the Republic of Korea in 3:18.66 and the Philippines in 3:19.68. The margins demonstrate how tightly packed the field was, with just 0.50 seconds separating India from the fastest qualifying team.

Qualifying Standings

Final Presents Another Opportunity

India's qualification means the quartet will return to the track later on Thursday for the final. The team is also permitted to make changes to its lineup before the medal race, with up to two athletes eligible to be replaced, according to the supplied information. That gives the Indian camp an opportunity to assess its options before the final.

The heat performance showed that India can stay in contention against the leading teams, but the final is likely to demand an even stronger performance. The narrow margins between the leading qualifiers mean small improvements in the baton exchanges and the closing leg could prove important. For now, however, the immediate objective has been achieved.

Manu TS, Poovamma Raju Machettira, Jay Kumar and Kiran Pahal have qualified for the Asian Games mixed 4x400m relay final.

They finished second in their heat, fourth overall, and will return at 6:45 PM IST with an Asian Games medal at stake.