India’s mixed relay 2018 Asian Games silver medal upgraded to gold

nNEW DELHI: India’s silver-medal finish at the mixed 4x400m relay team event of the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games has been officially upgraded to gold after the disqualification of original winners Bahrain due to a doping ban handed to one of its runners. Anu Raghvan, who had finished fourth in 400m hurdles, will get bronze, said the updated information on the World Athletics website.

Bahrain was disqualified after Kemi Adekoya, a member of the relay team, was handed a four-year suspension by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for failing a dope test for steroid stanozolol in 2019.

The 27 year-old Nigeria-born sprinter also lost her Asian Games 400m hurdles title as the AIU disqualified all her results from August 24, 2018 to November 26, 2018.

India’s mixed relay team comprising of Mohammed Anas, Rajiv Arokia, Hima Das and MR Poovamma had clocked 3:15.71 secs while Bahrain’s gold medal winning time was 3:11.89 secs. India’s gold medal tally in track and field thus increased to nine.

Raghavan sounded elated after getting news of her bronze upgrade.

“This information should have come earlier. I could have applied for Arjuna Award,” she said.

She had clocked 56.71 secs to finish fourth behind Bahrain’s Aminat Yusuf Jamal who will get silver while Vietnam’s Quachi Thi Lan will now get the gold.

Adille Sumariwalla, president of Athletics Federation India said this news would be a morale booster for 400m runners, particularly the mixed relay team members, preparing for the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games.

“We are confident the national team will make an impact at the global level next year,” he said.

India’s mixed relay team qualified for the Olympics last year at Doha World Athletics Championships.