Top sprinters eye World Relays qualification at Chandigarh meet

The March 28 event serves as the final qualifying opportunity for Indian relay teams ahead of the World Athletics Relays 2026 in Gaborone, Botswana, in May

The country’s leading sprinters will look to seal their berths for the World Athletics Relays 2026 when they compete in the first International Invitation Relay Competition at the Sector 7 Sports Complex in Chandigarh on Saturday.

India’s men’s 4x100m relay team, currently ranked 25th with a timing of 38.75 seconds, will be targeting a sub-38.50 effort to break into the top 24 (Shutterstock)

The March 28 event serves as the final qualifying opportunity for Indian relay teams ahead of the global competition scheduled to be held in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 2 and 3. With qualification spots on the line, the competition is expected to witness high-intensity performances from the country’s top track athletes.

Chief national athletics coach Radhakrishnan Nair expressed optimism, stating that the teams were prepared to deliver their best performances to stay in contention.

Athletes from Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Nepal will also participate in the invitational event, adding an international flavour to the competition.

India’s men’s 4x100m relay team, currently ranked 25th with a timing of 38.75 seconds, will be targeting a sub-38.50 effort to break into the top 24. The women’s 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relay teams are already within qualification range, ranked 23rd and 22nd respectively.

The third National Open Relay Competition will also be held alongside the event.