Indian women's 4x400m relay team qualifies for Paris Olympics

The Indian women's 4x400m relay team qualified for Paris Olympics after finishing second in its second-round heat at the World Athletics Relays in Bahnas' Nassau on Monday. The quartet of Rupal Chaudhary, M R Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi and Subha Venkatesan clocked 3 minutes and 29.35 seconds to finish second behind Jamaica (3:28.54) in heat number one to book a Paris Games ticket. The Indian team had finished fifth in the first-round qualifying heat on Sunday with a time of 3 minutes and 29.74 seconds.
Later, the men's squad of Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammed Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv and Amoj Jacob finished with a collective timing of 3 minutes and 3.23 seconds to also finish second in their heat, behind USA (2:59.95).The top two teams in each of the three heats in the second round were to qualify for the Olympics to be held from July 26 to August 11.The Indian women's team had finished fifth in the first-round qualifying heat on Sunday with a time of 3 minutes and 29.74 seconds. With this, India now have 19 Paris-bound track and field athletes and the list includes defending javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra among others.The athletics events at the Games will begin on August 1.