Rupal Chaudhary makes a return to the Indian team for World Athletics Relays after long knee injury break
Rupal Chaudhary, who injured her knee and missed out of action last year, is all set to make a comeback to the Indian team for the World Athletics Relays, scheduled to be held in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 4 and 5.
Notably, Rupal is a World Under-20 Athletics Championships 400m bronze medallist in 2022. The Meerut-born athlete also secured a silver medal in the same competition in the 4x400 women’s relay.
Rupal was rehabilitating and training at the Reliance Foundation Center in Mumbai after her knee injury. She has now joined the national camp, confirmed AFI President Adille Sumariwalla.
“Rupal joined the (national) camp. Also, Reliance has a tie-up with the AFI to share coaching facilities and expertise,” Adille Sumariwalla, the Athletics Federation of India President, told Sportstar.
Rupal Chaudhary, the No. 2 in India’s all-time junior 400m list with her 51.85s (2022, under-20 World), has a best of 52.79s this season, which came at the 400m Indian Open in Thiruvananthapuram in March.
The squads comprise national record-holder Muhammed Anas, Amoj Jacob, Vithya Ramraj, and Aishwarya Mishra.
All about World Athletics Relays 2024
The 2024 World Athletics Relays will be held in Nassau, Bahamas, on May 4 and 5, 2024. The first three editions of the Worlds were held at the same site - the 2014 IAAF World Relays, the 2015 IAAF World Relays, and the 2017 IAAF World Relays.
The World Athletics Relays 2024 will serve as a qualifying event for the Paris Olympics 2024. A total of 32 national teams will participate, in each relay event, and 20 races on both days of competition.
On Day 1, a total of 40 teams will qualify for the Summer Games, there will be 20 heats across the five Olympic events (4 heats each for 4x100, 4x400, men, women, and mixed) - The top two teams from each heat will directly qualify for the Games.
On Day 2, an additional 30 national teams will qualify for the Summer Games, through 15 repechage heats (the first 2 at each repechage will so qualify) and five finals, across those five events.
A look at the Indian relay teams for World Athletics Relays:
Men: Amoj Jacob, Avinash Krishna Kumar, Arokia Rajiv, Rajesh Ramesh, Noah Nirmal Tom, Muhammed Ajmal, Muhammed Anas, and P. Yashas.
Women: Jyothika Sri Dandi, M.R. Poovamma, Aishwarya Mishra, Prachi, Vithya Ramraj, Rupal Chaudhary, and Subha Venkatesan.
Mixed: Jyothika Sri Dandi, Amoj Jacob, Rajesh Ramesh, Vithya Ramraj, Rupal Chaudhary, and P. Yashas.