"Knew if we give hundred percent, we would stand on podium": Gurindervir Singh on Indian relay quartet’s mixed 4x100m bronze
Gurindervir Singh and team secure a historic bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay at the Asian Games 2026 despite heavy rain.
In a display of grit and perfect execution, the Indian mixed 4x100m relay quartet clinched a hard-fought bronze medal at the Asian Games 2026. Despite facing challenging, rain-hit conditions in the final, the team of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayan, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra powered through to secure their place on the podium.
The Indian squad clocked a time of 41.06 seconds to finish third. They trailed behind the gold-winning Chinese team, who recorded 40.78 seconds, and the silver-medalists from Thailand, who finished in 40.87 seconds.
A Masterclass in Baton Exchange
The race was a tactical success for India, with each athlete playing a crucial role in maintaining momentum:
- Gurindervir Singh: Provided a powerful start in the opening leg.
- Sneha Sathyanarayan: Kept the pace high during the second leg.
- Animesh Kujur: Successfully carried the baton through the third leg.
- Harita Bhadra: Delivered a decisive anchor leg to cross the finish line and secure the medal.
"We Executed the Plan Perfectly"
Speaking about the victory, Gurindervir Singh expressed his immense joy at bringing the medal home to his family. He emphasized that the team's confidence was the cornerstone of their success.
"I’m extremely excited. I’ll go home with the medal, see their smiles, and share in their joy. I had faith in my team, and I had faith in myself. We knew that if we gave it our hundred percent, we would definitely stand on the podium, and that’s exactly what we did. We executed the plan perfectly," Singh said.
Redemption for Sneha and Animesh
For some members of the quartet, the bronze was more than just a medal; it was a moment of redemption. Sneha Sathyanarayan noted that this victory was particularly meaningful after the women's relay team narrowly missed out on a medal just a day earlier.
"I am feeling extremely happy, and I can’t express this happiness in words... Yesterday, in the women’s relay, we made a mistake and lost our medal by a fraction of a second. So, this medal was very important to me," she shared.
Similarly, Animesh Kujur turned personal disappointment into collective triumph. After finishing fifth in the men's 200m final on Sunday, Kujur focused entirely on the relay to ensure India's success.
"In my individual event, I didn’t perform quite as well as I had expected... I put all of that aside. I stepped out today with the sole thought of winning a medal for India, and we finally did it," Kujur remarked.
A Year of Hard Work Pays Off
Harita Bhadra, who anchored the team to glory, attributed the success to the relentless preparation the athletes had undergone over the past year. She expressed her gratitude to the supporters who helped the team reach this milestone at the Asian Games.