The Indian men's 4*400m relay team created a new national record with a timing of 3:00.91 at the 3rd Indian Grand Prix which saw them virtually booking an August date in Rio. Not long ago, the team comprising of Mohammed Kunhu, Mohammed Anas, Dharun and Arokia Rajiv clocked 3:02.17 in Erzurum (Turkey). What makes this timing special is that it is the second best timing of 2016.
It is very early in the season and chances are there that 3:00.91 won’t be the second best timing for long. But let's accept the fact that this achievement is huge.
Earlier this year, Louisiana State University's athletic team created a world record timing of 3:00.38 in the Alumni Gold meet at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
Also Read: India's men's 4x400m relay team qualifies with 2nd best timing in the world in 2016
The 2016 European Championships at Amsterdam concluded last night and this is how the final standings looked like:
Belgium - 3:01:10Poland - 3:01:18Great Britain - 3:01:44
All three nowhere near the Indian timing of 3:00.91.
The world leading time in this category is still held by the United States when the quartet of Michael Johnson, Andrew Valmon, Quincy Watts, and Butch Reynolds clocked 2:54.29 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Apart from the men's 4*400m relay team, Indian athletes have shown signs to become successful to compete in world meets. It can very well be said that athletics has shown a continuous trend of improvement in the last two years and these are promising signs for future ahead of Rio 2016.
We have had runners like Milkha Singh and PT Usha who have brought a considerable amount of glory to the nation with the help of their dazzling performances in the international tournaments.
Although cricket still remains the undisputed king of sports in our nation, times are indeed changing as far as the sporting landscape of our country is concerned. Is it time for us to start dreaming big?
