Asian Athletics: Women's 4x400m relay team breaks 12-year drought to win gold, men clinch silver

Gumi (South Korea), May 29 (IANS) It was an unforgettable evening for Indian athletics at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships as the nation clinched a flurry of medals, headlined by a historic gold from the women’s 4x400m relay team and a record-breaking performance by steeplechase star Avinash Sable.

The Indian women’s 4x400m relay team broke a 12-year gold medal drought in style, clocking 3:34.18 to take the top spot on the podium. The formidable quartet of Jisna Mathew, Rupal, Rajitha Kunja, and Subha Venkatesan combined with flawless baton exchanges and gritty determination to outpace their continental rivals.

This win marks a milestone in India’s track and field journey, underlining the resurgence of women’s relay teams on the Asian stage.

The men’s 4x400m relay team also delivered a gutsy performance. Jay Kumar, Dharamveer Chaudhary, Manu T.S., and Vishal T.K. clocked an impressive 3:03.67 to earn silver in a tightly contested final, just missing out on gold but reinforcing India’s strength in relay events.

Earlier in the evening, India’s steeplechase hero Avinash Sable scripted history by becoming the first Indian man in 36 years to win gold in the 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Championships. Clocking a season-best 8:20.92, Sable surged past Japan’s Yutaro Niinae in the final lap to seal a dominant win. Qatar’s Zakaria Elahlaami completed the podium with a personal best of 8:27.12.

Adding to the medal haul, the women’s long jump saw a double podium finish for India. Ancy Sojan Edappilly bagged the silver with a leap of 6.33m, closely followed by Shaili Singh, who took bronze with a jump of 6.30m. Iran’s Reihaneh Mobini Arani clinched gold with a 6.40m effort.

With five gold medals now in their tally, India’s athletes are enjoying a commanding campaign, affirming their growing dominance in Asian athletics and setting the tone for upcoming global events.

Earlier, Team India successfully defended the 4x400m mixed relay title at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025. The quartet of Rupal Chaudhary, Santosh Kumar, Vishal TK and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3:18.12 to win the race and successfully defend their 4x400m mixed relay title at the Asian Athletics Championships 2025 in Gumi. --IANS

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