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Panchkula (Haryana): The Indian mixed 4x400m relay team failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics despite setting a national record as they missed the target time by exactly one second on the final day of the National Inter-State Championships on Sunday.

India entered two teams – A and B – in the mixed 400-metre relay competition. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) had also invited Sri Lanka and the Maldives to the competition so that their times would be taken into account for the world rankings.

To make an event international, three national teams are required.

The Indian team’s target was a time of 3:11.87 to overtake Kenya (3:11.88) and take the 16th and last place. However, the Indian A quartet of Muhammed Anas, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Muhammed Ajmal and Kiran Pahal achieved a time of 3:12.87 and won the race.

The Indian team beat the previous national record of 3:14.12 seconds, set in May at the Asian Relay in Bangkok.

Interestingly, Kiran, who won the 400m individual event, beating the Olympic qualifying time of 50.95 seconds, was selected for the Indian team despite training alone outside the national training camp.

As is well known, the AFI follows the policy that relay teams are selected only from the national camp participants.

The Indian B team consisting of T Santosh, Vithya Ramraj, Amoj Jacob and Subha Venkatesan finished second with a time of 3:14.22.

Sri Lanka finished third with a time of 3:18.18, while Maldives finished eighth and last with a time of 3:44.98.

The failure of the Indian mixed 4x400m relay team to make it to Paris is a disappointment for the AFI. Both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams have already qualified for the Olympic Games.

In other competitions, Olympic candidate Kishore Jena was relegated to third place in the men’s javelin event, which was won by Sahil Silwal of Haryana with a throw of 81.81 m.

Vikrant Malik from Odisha finished second with 81.74 m, while Jena won bronze with a throw of 80.84 m in the second round.

Jena, an Asian Games silver medallist with a personal best of 87.54m, was relieved to regain his confidence with the 80-metre throw after his atrocious 75.49m performance at the Federation Cup in May.

He also revealed that he was struggling with mild pain in his left ankle, which he felt after the Federation Cup (May 15-19) in Bhubaneswar.

“I had pain in the ankle of my left leg (blocking leg) after the Federation Cup but could not say exactly when it happened. We consulted a doctor who told me not to worry. We reduced the load a bit, did recovery exercises and physiotherapy. The pain has subsided and now everything is almost fine. Still, I did not give my all today,” said Jena, who represented Odisha.

“I am relieved that I was able to throw 80 metres again after the Federation Cup. I feel that I am getting back into my rhythm and hope to do well in the Paris Diamond League on July 7 and then head to the Olympics.” Star athlete Jyothi Yarraji of Andhra Pradesh won the women’s 100 metres hurdles with a time of 13.06 seconds, while Pragyan Sahu (13.15) of Odisha and Nithya Ramraj (13.21) of Tamil Nadu took silver and bronze respectively.

Yarraji’s national record is 12.78 seconds, while her Olympic qualifying time is 12.77, but she is likely to secure her ticket to the Paris Games via the world ranking quota.

Yarraji said she has recovered from a minor hip flexor injury sustained in a running race in Finland in May and is now looking forward to competing in Paris.

“I am strong, fit and will do my best (at the Olympics),” she said later.

“In Finland, I got pain in my hip area due to an imbalance at the last hurdle. I came back to India and had an MRI done. Now I am fit and can do my best in the next competition,” she said, thanking her coach James Hillier for her strong performance this season.

Another national record holder, Tejas Shirse, won gold in the men’s 110 metres hurdles with a time of 13.54 seconds.

His Olympic qualifying time is 13.27 seconds, while his national record is 13.41.

“Seven months ago, I would never have thought of qualifying for the Olympics. This season has been great for me. I set the national record but could not achieve my second goal of beating the Olympic qualifying time,” said Shirse.

“This competition is very technical and I need time to mature both in the sport and as a person.” Animesh Kujur and Srabani Nanda, both from Odisha, won gold in the men’s and women’s 200m races with times of 20.65 seconds and 23.89 seconds respectively.

In the men’s triple jump, Commonwealth Games silver medallist Abdulla Aboobacker of Kerala beat national record holder Praveen Chithravel to take gold with a personal best of 17m. Chithravel of Tamil Nadu, whose national record stands at 17.37m, came second with 16.98m.