Vithya Ramraj: Breaking Records at Asiad

Tamil Nadu athlete Vithya Ramraj created history at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya by breaking PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record in the women’s 400m hurdles.

Ramraj won the bronze medal with a personal best time of 54.75 seconds, improving the long-standing national record of 55.42 seconds set by PT Usha at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The achievement marked a major moment in Indian athletics, as Usha’s record had remained untouched for more than four decades. Usha, who now heads the Indian Olympic Association, was present at the stadium to witness Ramraj surpass the record.

The gold medal went to the UAE’s Mariam Kareem, who clocked a Games record of 54.31 seconds. Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems won silver with a personal best of 54.58 seconds.

India’s Anu Raghavan also produced a strong performance, finishing fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.

For Ramraj, the bronze was her second medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. She had earlier won silver as part of India’s mixed relay team.

Ramraj’s latest performance adds to her growing reputation in Indian athletics. Breaking a national record that had stood since the 1984 Olympics makes the achievement particularly significant.

The result also highlights the growing competition in India’s women’s 400m hurdles event. With Ramraj setting a new national benchmark and Raghavan recording a personal best, India now has two athletes producing strong performances at the continental level.

Ramraj’s 54.75-second run not only earned her an Asian Games bronze but also gave Indian athletics a new national record, ending one of the longest-standing marks in the country’s track and field history.