Nagoya, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : Vithya Ramraj secured a silver medal in the mixed 4×400 meters relay at the Asian Games 2026 held in Nagoya, dedicating her achievement to her twin sister, Nithya. This victory was particularly poignant for Vithya, who felt the absence of her sister, a fellow athlete who couldn’t qualify for this year’s games.
The Indian team, which included Machettira Poovamma, Vishal Thenarasu, Vithya, and Thekkinalil Manu, completed the race in 3:14.46. Bahrain clinched the gold with a games record time of 3:12.87, while Vietnam finished third at 3:14.54.
Vithya, who had previously won three medals at the last Asian Games, expressed her determination to improve her medal tally this time. After the race, she remarked, “I won three medals in the last Asian Games, so this time I tried to change the color of my medal.”
The medal held special significance for her, as she dedicated it to Nithya, who had participated in the previous games. Vithya said, “I missed my twin sister very much this time. Since she was with me during the last Asian Games, I wanted to dedicate this medal to her.”
She credited her coach for helping her maintain focus during the race. Vithya stated that instead of being distracted by competitors, she drew confidence from her coach’s guidance. “I thank Coach Bhanot, who was with me this time. He was there to watch me and told me, ‘You can do this.’ I focused only on his face and nothing else,” she said.
When asked about any challenges during the race, Vithya mentioned that she followed her coach’s advice and concentrated on completing her leg. “My coach said, ‘Just run your leg; you will get the baton. Just run the race, and nothing else.’ So, I thought only about moving forward and reaching the finish line. I gave it my all,” she added.
Vithya acknowledged the support she received from the Athletics Federation of India, TOPS, SAI, her state government, and Indian Railways. She expressed gratitude for their trust and support, saying, “I want to give my 100% back to them because they invest a lot in us.”
This silver medal further enhances India’s impressive record in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games. Following gold in Jakarta 2018 and silver in Hangzhou 2023, India has now medaled in this event for three consecutive games.
Teammate Thekkinalil Manu Saji expressed pride in representing India at his first Asian Games. He contributed significantly to securing the silver medal and credited his teammates for their collective effort. “I try my best for the team. I’m lucky to have this team. I feel proud to represent India at the Asian Games,” he said.
The Indian team narrowly edged out Vietnam by just 0.08 seconds, with Manu playing a crucial role in the initial stages of the race. Reflecting on the pressure of the start, he emphasized the importance of handing off the baton in a strong position. “My only thought was to be the first to hand over the baton. I strive for that,” he concluded.
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