Athletics
Fact Check: Did India reach the final of 4x400m men's relay at the Olympics?
With Olympics 2024 starting today, the misinformation on Social media has started. We debunk one today.
Rajesh Ramesh (second from right) finished second as the Indian men's relay team broke the National and Asian records at the World Athletics Championships 2023. (Credit: G Rajaraman/Twitter)
As the quadrennial extravaganza of the Olympics unfolds, the flow of misinformation starts on social media resulting in absurd news and updates.
Hours after the Opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics concluded on the picturesque Seine River, Indian social media started congratulating the men's 4x400 relay team for making it to the final.
The buzz began when prominent public figure and retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi posted a video of the men's 4x400m relay team that purportedly 'almost defeated' the USA team while clocking the national record.
However, Harleen Deol later deleted the tweet.
Fact Check: Is the video from the Olympics 2024?
The answer is NO, as the Athletics event is yet to start at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The tweet posted by Kiran Bedi shows the race from the qualification heat of the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The Indian quartet of Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, and Rajesh Ramesh clocked 2:59.05 and breached the National and Asian records.
The anchor leg run by Ramesh is considered one of the best by any Indian quarter-miler and he almost toppled the American runner Justin Robinson to finish first in the qualification heat.
In the final, the quartet clocked 2:59.92 and finished a credible fifth to garner the attention of all the fans.
When is the 4x400m relay event at the Olympics 2024?
The qualification for Men's 4x400m relay will be on 9th August while the final will be on 10th August. India will be fielding the same team of Amoj, Anas, Ajmal, and Rajesh with expectations of a top-five finish.
