India win mixed 4x100m relay bronze, set national record at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
India's mixed 4x100m relay quartet of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra clocked 41.06 seconds in Nagoya to win bronze and shatter the national record at the Asian Games 2026 — with Harita also becoming only the second Indian woman since Dutee Chand in 2018 to win an Asian Games 200m medal.
Key Takeaways
India won bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya on 29 September 2026 .
The quartet of Gurindervir Singh , Sneha Sathyanarayana , Animesh Kujur , and Harita Bhadra clocked a national record of 41.06 seconds .
The previous national record of 41.35 seconds had been set at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone .
Harita Bhadra claimed her second medal of the Games, having also won bronze in the women's 200m — the first Indian woman since Dutee Chand in 2018 to win that event at the Asian Games.
China won gold ( 40.78s ), Thailand silver ( 40.87s ), and India bronze ( 41.06s ).
India closed out their mixed 4x100m relay campaign at the Asian Games 2026 with a bronze medal and a new national record of 41.06 seconds in Nagoya on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The quartet of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra delivered a season-best effort to land on the podium and rewrite the record books.
How the Race Unfolded
China dominated the final, claiming gold in 40.78 seconds, with Thailand taking silver in 40.87 seconds. India crossed the line in 41.06 seconds — 0.28 seconds behind the champions — to secure the bronze. The run surpassed the previous national record of 41.35 seconds, which had been set by Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh, and Sneha at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone.
Harita Bhadra: A Double-Medal Outing
For Harita Bhadra, the relay bronze was her second medal of the Games. The 23-year-old Maharashtra sprinter had earlier won bronze in the women's 200m final, clocking 23.20 seconds to become the first Indian woman since Dutee Chand in 2018 to win an Asian Games medal in that event. Harita had arrived in Nagoya in sharp form, having set a personal best of 23.14 seconds at the National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
Animesh Kujur and Gurindervir Singh: India's Sprint Pillars
Animesh Kujur, 22, also competed in the men's 200m final, finishing fifth in 20.80 seconds. He had previously claimed bronze and a national record of 20.32 seconds at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships, establishing himself as one of India's premier short-distance runners. Gurindervir Singh, India's national record holder in the men's 100m, anchored the relay squad's credibility — he had clocked 10.09 seconds in May to become the first Indian man to run the 100m in under 10.10 seconds.
Sneha Sathyanarayana's Relay Pedigree
Sneha Sathyanarayana, a specialist in the 100m and 4x100m relay, brought proven championship experience to the quartet. She was part of the Indian women's 4x100m team that won gold at the 2026 Asian Relays Championships in China, reinforcing her standing as a reliable relay performer at the continental level.
Significance of the National Record
The improved mark of 41.06 seconds reflects the growing depth of India's sprint pool. Notably, three of the four relay runners — Animesh, Sneha, and Harita — have contributed to national record performances across multiple events in the current cycle, signalling a generational shift in Indian sprinting. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, this record offers a credible baseline for the mixed relay squad to target global qualification standards.
Point of View
Which is unprecedented depth for a country that has historically struggled to field competitive sprinters at the Asian level. The relay format rewards collective momentum, and India's current generation is building it event by event. The real question is whether the Athletics Federation of India can provide the training infrastructure and competition exposure — especially overseas — to keep this cohort peaking through the 2028 Olympic cycle, rather than burning bright and stalling, as past generations have done.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was India's result in the mixed 4x100m relay at Asian Games 2026?
India won the bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m relay at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, clocking a new national record of 41.06 seconds on 29 September 2026. The quartet comprised Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra.
What was India's previous national record in the mixed 4x100m relay?
The previous national record was 41.35 seconds, set by Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur, and Sneha Sathyanarayana at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone. Tuesday's run in Nagoya improved it by 0.29 seconds.
How many medals did Harita Bhadra win at Asian Games 2026?
Harita Bhadra won two medals at the Asian Games 2026 — a bronze in the women's 200m final (clocking 23.20 seconds) and a second bronze as part of the mixed 4x100m relay team. She became the first Indian woman since Dutee Chand in 2018 to win an Asian Games medal in the 200m.
Who won gold and silver in the mixed 4x100m relay at Asian Games 2026?
China won gold in 40.78 seconds and Thailand took silver in 40.87 seconds. India finished 0.28 seconds behind the champions to claim the bronze.
Why is Gurindervir Singh significant for Indian sprinting?
Gurindervir Singh is India's national record holder in the men's 100m, having clocked 10.09 seconds in May 2026 to become the first Indian man to run the event in under 10.10 seconds. His presence in the relay squad adds elite-level speed to India's mixed relay unit.
