Arokia Rajiv

Subedar Arokia Rajiv (born 22 May 1991) is an Indian sprinter and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in Indian Army who specialises in the 400 metres distance. He won silver medals in the men's and mixed 4 × 400 m relays at the 2018 Asian Games and placed third in the individual 400 m in 2014. He won medals in both the 400 m and 4 × 400 m events at the 2016 South Asian Games and 2017 Asian Championships. He competed in the relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics.^[2] He competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the Men's 4 × 400 m relay event where the Indian team broke the Asian and National Records and clocked a time of 3:00.25.^[3]

Subedar

Arokia Rajiv

Rajiv at the 2017 Asian Championships
Personal information
Full name	Soundararajan Arokia Rajiv
Nationality	Indian
Born	(1991-05-22) 22 May 1991 (age 33) Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Height	175 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1][2]
Weight	65 kg (143 lb)[1]
Military career
Allegiance	India
Service / branch	Indian Army
Rank	Subedar
Unit	8 Madras
Awards	Arjuna Award
Sport
Country	India
Sport	Track and field
Event	400 metres
Club	Indian Army[2]
Coached by	Mohammed Kunhi (personal) Bahadur Singh Chauhan (national) Radhakrishnan Nair (national)[2]
Achievements and titles
Personal best	45.37 (doha 2019)
Medal record Representing  India Asian Games 2018 Jakarta Men's 4×400 m 2018 Jakarta Mixed 4×400m 2014 Incheon 400 m South Asian Games 2016 Guwahati/Shillong 400 m 2016 Guwahati/Shillong 4×400 m Asian Championships 2017 Bhubaneswar 400 m 2017 Bhubaneswar 4×400 m Military World Games 2015 Mungyeong 400 m
Updated on 28 August 2018

Early life

Rajiv was born in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu,^[1] in a poor family. He studied at the Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Lalgudi, and St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli.^[4]

Career

Rajiv began his career as a long jumper before taking to 400 metres.^[2] At the 2019 Asian Championship, he Finished 4th Place, clocking 45.37 seconds in the final. In the process, he bettered his previous best of 45.92 seconds, which he had achieved at the Asian Games in Incheon on 28 th September 2014.^[5] Enrolled into the 8th Battalion of the Madras Regiment of Indian Army on March 15, 2011, Subedar Arokia Rajiv was honoured by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi with the prestigious Arjuna Award for his outstanding contribution in Athletics in 2017. Subedar Arokia Rajiv becomes the second Arjuna Awardee from the Madras Regiment after Havildar Peter Thangaraj who had received the Award for his outstanding achievements as India's football goalkeeper.^[6]

International competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing  India
2013	Asian Championships	Pune, India	6th	400 m	46.63
			4th	4 × 400 m relay	3:06.01
2014	Asian Games	Incheon, South Korea		400 m	45.92
			4th	4 × 400 m relay	3:04.61
2017	Asian Championships	Bhubaneswar, India		400 m	46.14
				4 × 400 m relay	3:02.92
2018	Commonwealth Games(Heat 2)	Gold Coast, Australia	H2- 2nd	4 × 400 m relay	3:04.051

¹Did not finish in the final

References

1. "Arokia Rajiv". results.glasgow2014.com. 2014 Commonwealth Games. Retrieved 20 September 2015.
2. Arokiarajiv Archived 3 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine. asiangames2018.id
3. "Tokyo 2020: Fastest in Asia, yet not quick enough in men's 4×400 relay". The Indian Express. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
4. "Lalgudi youth wins bronze in Asiad". The Hindu. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
5. Athletics at the 2014 Asian Games – Men's 400 metres
6. "Proud nation honours Arokia Rajiv with Arjuna award- The New Indian Express".

External links

Media related to Arokia Rajiv at Wikimedia Commons

• Arokia Rajiv at World Athletics
• Arokia Rajiv at Olympics.com
• Arokia Rajiv at Olympedia