India Win Silver and Bronze on Day 1 of Asian Relay Championships 2026; Mixed Relay Teams Shine in China

India enjoyed a productive opening day at the Asian Relay Championships 2026, winning two medals across the mixed relay events and showcasing the country's growing strength in sprint and middle-distance relays. 

The Indian contingent claimed a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay and a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m relay, beginning its campaign in China on a positive note. The performances highlighted not only the depth of India's relay programme but also the team's ability to compete consistently against some of Asia's strongest athletics nations.

The Indian quartet of Pranav Gurav, Tamanna, Animesh Kujur and Sneha S S delivered a spirited performance in the mixed 4x100m relay final to secure the bronze medal with a timing of 41.47 seconds. The race began positively for India as Pranav Gurav provided a solid opening leg, ensuring the team remained in contention from the outset. Tamanna followed with an excellent second-leg run, maintaining momentum and putting India in a strong position heading into the latter stages of the race.

Animesh Kujur then produced a brilliant third leg, accelerating past competitors and briefly placing India at the front of the field. His impressive effort raised hopes of an even higher finish as the team approached the final baton exchange. However, a slight delay during the baton handover between Animesh and anchor runner Sneha proved costly. The hesitation disrupted India's momentum at a crucial moment, allowing both Thailand and China to capitalise in the closing metres of the race.

Despite the setback, Sneha held her composure to bring India home in third place and secure a well-deserved podium finish.

India's finishing time of 41.47 seconds came tantalisingly close to the national record of 41.35 seconds, which was set by Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha S S in Gaborone. The narrow margin suggests that the current squad possesses the capability to challenge and potentially surpass the national benchmark in future competitions. More importantly, the performance demonstrated growing consistency in relay execution and sprint standards at the continental level.

Although the delayed baton exchange ultimately denied India a stronger finish, the team's overall display reflected considerable promise.

Thailand and China Take Top Two Spots

Thailand emerged victorious in the mixed 4x100m relay with a winning time of 41.14 seconds, while China secured the silver medal after clocking 41.29 seconds. India's 41.47-second effort completed the podium and ensured the country opened its medal account early in the championships. The narrow gap separating the top three teams also underlined the competitiveness of the event, where fractions of a second and efficient baton exchanges often determine medal positions.

India's second medal of the day came in the mixed 4x400m relay, where the team produced another strong performance to finish second and claim the silver medal. The Indian quartet clocked 3:17.06, finishing behind Uzbekistan, which captured the gold medal, while China completed the podium with bronze. The result reflects India's continued excellence in the 4x400m relay format, an event in which the country has consistently performed well at the Asian level over the past several years.

The silver medal also complemented the sprint relay bronze, giving India a balanced medal haul across two distinct relay disciplines.

The opening day's performances reinforce the steady progress being made by Indian athletics, particularly in relay events where teamwork, precision and execution are just as important as individual speed. The mixed 4x100m relay team displayed excellent pace throughout the race, with Pranav Gurav, Tamanna and Animesh Kujur executing their legs effectively before the costly final exchange. With improved baton coordination, the team has the potential to challenge for even higher honours in future competitions.

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Meanwhile, the mixed 4x400m squad once again demonstrated India's strength in longer relay events by securing another continental podium finish.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the results is the emergence of depth across India's relay pool. Athletes such as Animesh Kujur continue to establish themselves as key contributors, while younger sprinters are gaining valuable international experience alongside established names. This growing talent base provides selectors with multiple options and creates healthy competition within the national setup, factors that are essential for sustained success on the international stage.

With relay events becoming increasingly important at major championships, including the Olympics and World Championships, India's continued investment in these disciplines appears to be yielding positive results.

Winning two medals on the opening day provides India with confidence heading into the remainder of the Asian Relay Championships. The silver in the mixed 4x400m relay and bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay not only add to the nation's medal tally but also signal its ability to compete consistently against Asia's leading athletics nations.

While the mixed 4x100m team may reflect on the baton exchange that potentially cost them a higher finish, the overall performance remains a significant achievement. Combined with the silver-medal effort in the 4x400m relay, it marks an encouraging start to the championships and sets the stage for more strong performances from the Indian contingent in the days ahead.