Athletics
Eyes on women quarter milers as first-ever Open Relay Carnival kicks off
Indian sprinters and quarter milers will gather as first-ever National Open Relay Carnival goes underway tomorrow.
Rajesh Ramesh (second from right) finishes behind as the Indian men's relay team breaks National and Asian records at the World Athletics Championships 2023. (Credit: G Rajaraman/Twitter)
Chandigarh: Top Indian quarter milers will gather at the Sports Complex of Sector 7 in Chandigarh as the first-ever National Open Relay Carnival starts on Sunday.
With the World Relay Championships in May and the 2024 Paris Olympics in July, the event will serve as the chance for the athletes to make their way to the 14-member squad that will travel to the Bahamas to train for one month.
While the men's team for the 4x400m relay is expected to have Amoj Jacob, Muhammad Ajmal, Muhammad Anas Yahiya, Noah Nirmal Tom, Mijo Kurian, Rajesh Ramesh, and Mijo Kurian, the selectors will have to headache to make the team women's 4x400m relay and mixed 4x400m relay.
Rupal returning from injury, Povamma Raju coming back to 400m after a hiatus, and Vithya Ramaraj stamping her authority, the fight for women's team will be an interesting one.
Aishwarya Mishra, Priya Mohan, and Sonia Baishya are the others who will stake their claim.
The Relay carnival will have a total of ten events with both 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay in men's, women's, mixed, U20 girls, and U20 boys categories.
Top Indian athletics stars such as Amoj Jacob, Vithya Ramaraj, Yashas P, Md Afsal, Aishwarya Mishra, and many others will be in action.
This event will be the last in the domestic calendar of discipline-specific open events. The next big domestic event will be Indian Grand Prix 1 in Bengaluru on 30th April.
