On August 26, four Indian men, running the 4X400 metres relay in the World Championships in Budapest, finished second in heat one (qualifying rounds) and got into the final round, turning the nation’s attention towards them. In an event usually dominated by the U.S., Jamaica, and the U.K., and where Indians or even Asians have rarely made a mark, the relay deservedly became the talk of the town.
Though the four athletes did not go on to win medals in the final round, their run shattered many records. Data also shows that this was not an ‘out of the blue’ run, but a culmination of years of consistent work with members of this quartet setting and breaking multiple domestic records.
During heat one in Budapest, the team comprising Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, and Rajesh Ramesh broke the Indian national record by completing the race in 2 minutes 59.05 seconds (179.05 seconds) and finishing second behind the U.S.
