Asian Athletics Championships: Indian quarter-miler Rajesh Ramesh is set to make his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow, with the experienced relay specialist aiming to add another milestone to an international career that has been central to India's recent success in the 4x400m events.
The 27-year-old from Tamil Nadu heads into the Games as one of India's most accomplished relay runners, having played a pivotal role in several medal-winning performances at the Asian and global level over the past few seasons.
Rajesh was a member of India's gold medal-winning men's 4x400m relay team and the silver medal-winning mixed 4x400m relay team at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. He followed that up with gold in the mixed relay and silver in the men's relay at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships before helping India script history at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, where the men's 4x400m relay team clocked an Asian record of 2:59.05. His personal best of 45.26 seconds in the individual 400m also ranks him among India's fastest active quarter-milers.
With his maiden Commonwealth Games appearance now on the horizon, Rajesh said representing India on one of the sport's biggest stages is the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.
“Representing India at the Commonwealth Games is a dream I’ve worked towards for many years. Every opportunity to wear the Indian Jersey is special, and making my Commonwealth Games debut makes this even more meaningful. My focus is on giving my absolute best, staying composed under pressure and contributing to the team’s success. We’ve prepared well, and I’m excited to compete against some of the best athletes in the world while making India proud,” Rajesh said.
Rajesh also acknowledged the role played by the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS) in his development, crediting the high-performance environment for helping him compete consistently at the elite level.
“IIS has been an important part of my journey. From coaching and sports science to recovery, nutrition and strength training, everything I need to perform at the highest level is available. Having such a strong support system allows me to focus entirely on improving as an athlete, and I'm grateful to everyone who has been part of my journey,” he added.
Having been part of India's relay transformation in recent years, Rajesh believes the team's progress has been driven by sustained hard work and growing belief on the international stage.
“Indian athletics has come a long way, especially in the relay events. We have shown that we can compete with the best teams in the world, and that's a result of years of hard work and training. Every major championship motivates us to keep raising the standards and inspire the next generation of athletes,” he said.
The 27-year-old added that consistency has remained the cornerstone of his preparations heading into Glasgow.
“Indian athletics has come a long way, especially in the relay events. We have shown that we can compete with the best teams in the world, and that's a result of years of hard work and training. Every major championship motivates us to keep raising the standards and inspire the next generation of athletes,” he said.
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Having already contributed to some of India's most memorable relay performances, Rajesh now has the opportunity to make his mark at the Commonwealth Games, where he will look to help India continue its upward trajectory in the 4x400m relay events.