The Indian women’s 4x100m relay team broke a 25-year wait, winning a silver medal at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea on Saturday.
The quartet of Srabani Nanda, S.S Sneha, Abinaya Rajarajan, and Nithya Gandhe clocked 43.86s to finish second behind China.
It marked India’s first silver medal in women’s 4x100m relay medal at the Asian Athletics Championships since the quartet of Anuradha Biswal, Vinita Tripati, Saraswati Dey, and Rachita Mistry won silver way back in 2000 at Jakarta, Indonesia.
Just minutes after the historic silver medal finish in Gumi, the Athletics Federation of India revealed that 4x100m will now be a priority event for India.
“One of things we have already discussed today in one of our meetings is that we are going to give special focus on the 4x100m men and women relay,” said spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla in a press meet.
“We believe that both these relay teams, which we were not able to put together for a long time, now we are in a position to do so.
“We have enough athletes, including reserves to be able to run a good 4x100m relay and we are giving it special focus from now onwards. It is going to be one of our priority events,” he added.
India, over the years, has given special attention to the 4x400m relay teams, while ignoring the prospects of forming strong 4x100m teams. The recent performances, which includes a has piqued interest in the discipline.
While the Indian men’s 4x100m team were disqualified due to an error in baton exchange in the heats of the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, the AFI believes the future for India is bright in the event.
James Hillier, who coaches four of India’s fastest runners – Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidar, Gurindervir Singh, and Amlan Borgohain – had told The Bridgethat they are working along with AFI to develop a relay team.
“I am putting together a 4x100m relay team as we speak,” Hillier had told this publication last month. “I am trying to convince our federation AFI, that we are good enough.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to run some fast relays soon,” he added.
The women’s 4x100m silver medal winning quartet now also have their eyes set on shattering the national record, like their men counterparts.
“Our target was to run a personal best in this competition [Asian Athletics Championships],” they said. “For the next competition and Asian Games, we plan to work very well and break the national record.”