Athletics Federation of India plans to build up a strong 4x100m relay team for the 2026 Asian Games. Top sprinters have a bright chance to impress the AFI selection panel during upcoming domestic meets.
Top sprinters started the 2025 season with a bang. Punjab’s sprinter Gurindervir Singh set the track ablaze with 10.20 seconds, a national record at the Indian Grand Prix in Bengaluru in March. Army’s former national record holder Manikanta Hoblidhar finished a close second with a time of 10.22 seconds. The quartet of Animesh Kujur, Hoblidhar, Singh and Amlan Borgohain also improved the national 4x100m relay record to 38.69 seconds. However, as the seasoned progress top sprinters, including Singh and Hoblidhar weren’t impressive due to different reasons.
Unsteady performance perhaps hasn’t gone well with the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) as they plan to build up a strong team for the 2026 Asian Games scheduled to be held from September 19 to October 4 in Japan.
With an aim for a podium finish in the shorter relay events at the 2026 Asian Games, the AFI plans to shortlist top eight sprinters during the upcoming domestic competitions in September in Ranchi, Sandeep Mehta, secretary AFI said on Wednesday.
Selection of the athletes will be based on performance during the 64th National Open Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Ranchi from September 27 to 30 in Jharkhand, the AFI secretary added.
“Top six athletes will be selected during the Ranchi meet. The remaining two sprinters will be shortlisted on the basis of overall performance during the 2025 domestic competitions,” Mehta said.
Sprinters aspiring to be members of the national 4x100m relay squad should also compete in the upcoming 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Chennai from August 20 to 24, the AFI secretary added.
“It’s mandatory for those sprinters having a goal to be a member of the national relay team to compete in Chennai,” Mehta added. “Non participation in the Chennai competition will lead to disqualification from the relay team.”
According to the AFI secretary those shortlisted for the 4x100m relay will have to undergo collective training. The men’s relay team will practice at Reliance Academy in Mumbai. The women’s 4x100m relay team will be based out of Trivandrum (National Centre of Excellence).
Top sprinters representing Reliance improved the men’s national 4x100m relay record to 38.69 seconds earlier this year in April during National Relay Carnival in Chandigarh. The previous record of 38.89 seconds at Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.
