India's Ups and Downs at World Athletics Relays 2026

India faced challenges at the World Athletics Relays 2026 in Gaborone with no teams qualifying for the 2027 World Championships. Despite setbacks, the mixed 4x100m team set a new national record. Performances varied, with the men's team unable to finish due to a baton drop and other hurdles.

India struggled at the World Athletics Relays 2026 in Gaborone, with none of its five teams advancing to the 2027 World Championships, as reported by Olympics.com. Nonetheless, the mixed 4x100m relay squad carved a silver lining, setting a new national record on Sunday.

After missing the mark in the initial round on Saturday, Indian squads required a top-two finish in Sunday's heats for direct qualification to the World Championships in Beijing. The mixed 4x100m team, featuring Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur, and Sneha Sathyanarayana Shanuvalli, clocked a time of 41.35 seconds. Despite finishing sixth in their heat, they beat the previous national record of 42.30 seconds set earlier in Chandigarh this year.

The mixed 4x400m relay saw a reservist Indian team, including Theerthesh P. Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William, and Rashdeep Kaur, finishing fifth in their heat with 3:19.40 timing. On the men's 4x400m relay side, despite featuring Olympians like Amoj Jacob, who returned after Saturday's rest, the team didn't finish due to Jacob's cramps, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF). Meanwhile, the women's 4x100m team ended last in their heat. The men's 4x100m lineup faced disqualification following a baton mishap. Earlier, four Indian teams recorded season-best timings, but didn't make the cut for the next round.