Athletics
AFI set to dissolve men's 4x400m relay team
AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said the federation has taken lessons from the Paris Olympics and a new men's 4x400m relay team would be set up.
India's 4x400m men's relay team of Rajesh Ramesh, Muhammad Ajmal, Amoj Jacob, and Muhammad Anas Yahiya. (File Photo)
The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is set to dissolve India's iconic 4x400m relay team over a reported rift with Jamaican Coach Jason Dawson.
The Indian team of Muhammed Anas, Muhammed Ajmal, Amoj Jacob and Rajesh Ramesh won the gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023.
The Indian quartet then delivered one of their best performances at the World Athletics Championships in 2023 by finishing fifth in the final. India clocked in at 2:59:92s in the final.
However, they failed to qualify for the final in the Paris Olympics. The Indian quartet gave their best in the Paris Olympics to clock 3:00.58s and finished fourth behind host France (2:59.53s), Belgium (2:59.84s) and Italy (3:00.26s). As a result, they missed a spot in the final.
With their new coach Dawson at the helm, athletes have reportedly complained of overtraining.
In the wake of the recent developments, the AFI president Adille Sumariwalla, on the sidelines of the National Junior Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, said the federation had taken lessons from the Paris Olympics and a new 4x400m relay team would be formed early next year. The new team will join the 400m camp in Trivandrum.
"The 400m athletes - men and women - will be camping in Trivandrum. We have taken lessons from the Paris Olympics. We are going to change the 400m runners completely. They have aged as well. So we will try out new athletes," Sumariwalla was quoted as saying by NNIS.
