Indian mixed relay team's 2018 Asian Games silver upgraded to gold

The quartet of Mohammed Anas, M.R. Poovamma, Hima Das and Arokia Rajiv had finished second behind Bahrain.

The Indian quartet of Muhammed Anas, M.R. Poovamma, Hima Das and Arokia Rajiv clocked 3 minute and 15.71 seconds at the Jakarta Asian Games.

The Indian 4×400 mixed relay team's 2018 Asian Games (Jakarta) silver medal has been upgraded to gold. The quartet of Mohammed Anas, M.R. Poovamma, Hima Das and Arokia Rajiv had finished second behind Bahrain.

Moreover, Anu Raghavan moved from fourth place to bronze medal position in the women’s 400m hurdles.

The Bahrain squad, which finished first in the 4×400 mixed relay final, was disqualified with Kemi Adekoya of Bahrain being handed a four-year ban by the Athletics Integrity Unit for failing a dope test.

 

The 4x400m mixed relay team of Anas, Poovamma, Hima Das and Arokia had finished with a timing of 3:15.7. India now is the first winner of the event introduced in the Asian Games of 2018.

Anu had clocked her fastest time of 56.77 seconds in finishing fourth in the hurdles final while her team-mate Jauna Murmu’s second fastest (57.48) gave her the fifth place. Adekoya’s disqualification saw them moving up.

Athletics Federation of India president, Adille J. Sumariwalla said AFI is delighted with the developement. “The additional medal takes our tally to 20, including eight gold and nine silver,” he said.

 

“The news comes as a fillip to us as we are aiming to build on the Asian Games showing and make a mark at the global level in the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. The 4x400m relay squad will be particularly pleased that it now has two gold and a silver from Jakarta. We are confident that under coach Galina Bukharina’s guidance, the relay squad will perform well,” he added.