"We were very unlucky" - Jyothika Sri upset as mixed relay team misses out on Paris Olympics qualification by one second

Indian quarter-miler Jyothika Sri Dandi, who is part of the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team for Paris 2024, was unhappy after the mixed relay team failed to meet the qualifying standard at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, Haryana.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) fielded two teams - Team A comprising Muhammad Anas, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Muhammad Ajmal, and Kiran Pahal. Team B comprised Santhosh Kumar, Vithya Ramraj, Amoj Jacob, and Subha Venkatesan. Sri Lanka and Maldives were the other national teams part of the race.

India A quarter scripted history as they created a national record, clocking 3:12.87 seconds in the mixed relay event while the India B team clocked 3:14.22 seconds.

However, the efforts weren’t enough as they were required to clock under 3:11.88 seconds to go past Kenya and make the cut for Paris 2024. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, and Delhi state teams were the other relay squads part of the event.

“We were very unlucky to qualify for the mixed relay too by one second in the recent Inter-State meet in Panchkula for the Paris Games,” Jyothika Sri Dandi told Sportstar.

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Jyothika Sri stole the limelight in 2021 for the first time

Hailing from Tanuku, Andhra Pradesh, Jyothika Sri's breakthrough year came in 2021 when she secured the title in the Indian National U23 Championships over 400m.

Later in 2023, she bagged the gold medal in the Indian National Open Championships, clocking 53.26 seconds in the 400m event. In July 2023, she secured a bronze medal in the women's 4x400m relay event at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok.

Her personal best in a 400m race came in March 2024 at the Indian National Championships, clocking 52.73 seconds. In May 2024, she was part of the Indian women's 4x400 relay team at the World Relays 2024 in Nassau, Bahamas, running the fastest leg of the quarter, clocking 51.36 seconds.

Jyothika Sri Dandi, Subha Venkatesan, Vithya Ramraj, Poovamma MR, and Prachi will be a part of the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team at the Paris Olympics 2024.

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