CM Saini Hails India Women's 4×100m Gold at Asian Relay Championships
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini praised the Indian women's 4×100m relay team for winning gold at the Asian Relay Championships 2026, defeating China. He called it a moment of national pride and urged India's youth to draw inspiration from the athletes' discipline and determination.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini publicly congratulated the Indian women's 4×100m relay team on 22 June 2026 .
India's women's relay squad defeated China to win the gold medal at the Asian Relay Championships 2026 .
Saini described the win as 'a moment of pride and honour for every citizen' and praised the athletes' discipline and collective performance.
The victory is seen as part of a broader rise in Indian women's track-and-field performance at the continental level.
The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017 , has underpinned national investment in grassroots athletics talent.
The relay team's next major test is expected at the 2026 Asian Games .
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday, 22 June 2026 congratulated the Indian women's 4×100 metre relay team after the squad claimed a gold medal at the Asian Relay Championships 2026, defeating China in the final to etch their names in the history of Indian athletics.
Context
Saini, posting in Hindi on X, described the victory as 'प्रत्येक देशवासी के लिए गर्व और सम्मान का क्षण' — 'a moment of pride and honour for every citizen of the country.' He praised the athletes for their 'अथक परिश्रम, अनुशासन, अटूट आत्मविश्वास', or 'relentless hard work, discipline, and unwavering self-confidence,' crediting their collective performance for hoisting the tricolour on the world stage.
The Chief Minister also framed the gold as an inspirational message for India's youth, writing that the achievement proves 'every goal can be achieved through firm resolve and continuous effort.' He extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all the winning athletes for their future competitions.
Policy Backdrop
India's improving relay performances at the continental level have come alongside sustained investment in grassroots athletics infrastructure. The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017, has been a central pillar of national sports policy, channelling funds toward talent identification and training programmes for young athletes across states.
Haryana has consistently been among the leading contributors to India's athletics medal tally at Asian competitions, with the state government investing in dedicated coaching facilities and financial support for track-and-field athletes. The recognition of a women's relay team by a senior political leader also reflects a broader push to raise the profile of female athletes in mainstream public discourse.
Stakeholders and Impact
The gold medal is a landmark result for Indian women's sprint relay, a discipline that has historically lagged behind individual sprinting achievements at the continental level. A victory over China — a dominant force in Asian athletics — carries particular symbolic weight and is likely to boost enthusiasm for track-and-field participation among young women nationwide.
Political figures across India routinely amplify international sporting successes to build national pride and encourage grassroots participation. Saini's statement, coming from the Chief Minister of a state that produces a disproportionate share of the country's elite athletes, adds institutional weight to the congratulatory message and may signal further state-level support for athletics infrastructure.
What's Next
Attention will now turn to how the relay squad performs at subsequent high-stakes events, including the 2026 Asian Games, where competition from regional rivals will be intense. Any announcement from the Haryana government on expanded athletics coaching centres or financial incentives for medal-winning athletes will be closely watched as a follow-through on the goodwill expressed in Saini's post.
Point of View
Which punches far above its weight in Indian athletics, the Chief Minister's public endorsement also doubles as a soft signal of continued state investment in track and field. The broader arc points toward an increasingly competitive India on the Asian athletics circuit, with women's relay now emerging as a credible medal discipline.
NationPress
22 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did India's women's relay team win at the Asian Relay Championships 2026?
India's women's 4×100 metre relay team won the gold medal at the Asian Relay Championships 2026 , defeating China in the final.
Why did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini post about the Asian Relay Championships?
Saini issued a congratulatory message to celebrate the Indian women's relay team's historic gold medal, calling it a moment of national pride and an inspiration for India's youth.
What is the Asian Relay Championships?
The Asian Relay Championships is a continental athletics competition focused exclusively on relay events, bringing together national teams from across Asia.
How has Haryana contributed to Indian athletics?
Haryana is consistently among India's top states in athletics, producing a large share of national-level track-and-field athletes, supported by state coaching infrastructure and schemes like Khelo India .
What is the Khelo India scheme?
The Khelo India scheme, launched in 2017 , is a national programme designed to identify grassroots sporting talent and provide structured training and financial support to young athletes across India.
