Nagoya, September 28 (Daily Kiran) : Vithya Ramraj achieved a remarkable milestone at the 2026 Asian Games held in Nagoya on September 28. Competing in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, she clinched the bronze medal with a personal best time of 54.75 seconds. This performance not only secured her a podium finish but also shattered the 42-year-old national record set by the legendary Indian athlete, PT Usha.
Throughout the race, Ramraj remained in contention for a medal, maintaining her position until the final moments. However, she was unable to outpace Mariam Karim from the United Arab Emirates, who won gold with a games-record time of 54.31 seconds. Kazakhstan’s Adeline Jams took home the silver medal, finishing in 54.58 seconds, marking her personal best.
Ramraj’s achievement is significant as she improved upon Usha’s previous national record of 55.42 seconds, which had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where Usha narrowly missed a podium finish by placing fourth. Ramraj had equaled this record in 2023 but has now set a new benchmark at the Asian Games.
In addition to Ramraj’s success, fellow Indian athlete Anu Raghavan also delivered an impressive performance, finishing fifth in the final with a personal best of 55.88 seconds. Her previous best was 56.54 seconds prior to this event.
This achievement marks a significant moment in Indian athletics, as Ramraj surpasses one of the longest-standing records in the sport.
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