The tension at the finish line could have frozen time. Korea had clinched gold, South Africa sealed silver, and the fight for bronze was down to India’s Jayaram Dondapati and Australia’s Aidan Murphy. Both runners dipped across the line — it took a photo finish to separate them.
India had done it. Lalu Prasad Bhoi, Animesh Kujur, Manikanta Hoblidhar and Jayaram Dondapati ended up with a historic bronze. Both India and Australia clocked an identical 38.89 seconds, but Jayaram’s desperate lunge secured India’s first-ever global relay medal — bronze at the 2025 World University Games (WUG) in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany.
I Was Confident, But Not 100%. When I dipped at the finish line, the Australian was right next to me. I got confused whether we had won bronze or not.
Watching the final moments unfold, Lalu Prasad Bhoi — India’s lead runner — stood frozen near the big screen. Animesh Kajur, the second-leg sprinter, also held his breath.
It flashed Korea first, South Africa second, and then… after a pause, India third. I rushed towards Jayaram and leaped on him!
Team of Redemption: After Disqualification in May
The nerves around baton exchanges weren’t just the usual. A recent disqualification at the Asian Athletics Championships in Korea, where India was ruled out for an out-of-zone exchange, was fresh in memory.
Baton exchange is always crucial. The smoother it is, the better your timing. We were happy not just with the medal but with breaking sub-39 — that’s huge.
Jayaram had his own moment of anxiety during the handoff. “For a millisecond, I didn’t grip the baton properly. I was conscious of the takeover line. It was a heart-in-mouth moment,” he said.
Animesh: From Fourth in 200m to Global Podium
For Animesh Kajur, who holds the national records in both the 100m and 200m, the relay bronze came as redemption after narrowly missing a podium finish in the 200m.
We had come here hoping for a medal. Missing out in my individual event hurt, so this meant a lot.
The sentiment was echoed by all three teammates on the call. Animesh was also part of the squad that broke India’s national 4x100m record (38.69s) earlier this year alongside Hoblidhar, Gurindervir Singh, and Amlan Borgohain.
Lalu’s Big Debut, Bigger Dream
For Lalu, who led off the relay, it was his first major international — and a personal dream realised. “I had butterflies,” he said. “But my starts were good in the heats, so I trusted myself.” Then came the comic relief: “Achha nahi hoga toh yeh log mere ko maar daalenge (If I hadn’t started well, these guys would have killed me),” he joked, triggering laughter from Animesh and Jayaram.
Wrapping the Indian flag around himself after the medal ceremony was something he had long envisioned. “It was my dream,” Lalu said. “Only I hadn’t experienced that before.”
India’s Overall Tally and Standing
India ended the 2025 WUG with 12 medals (2 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze), finishing 20th overall. The performance marked a dip compared to their seventh-place finish at the 2023 Games in Chengdu, China, where they secured 26 medals including 11 gold.
