India won silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on September 24, clocking 3:14.46 at the Municipal Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan. The quartet of M.R. Poovamma, Vishal Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj and Manu T.S. finished behind Bahrain, which won gold in a Games-record 3:12.87. Vietnam took bronze in 3:14.54, leaving India 0.08 seconds ahead.
Vithya Ramraj anchored India’s final leg as the team moved into second place. The medal marked India’s third successive silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games, following silver medals at Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022, with the latter Games held in 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the quartet following the result.
Vithya Anchors Finish
India’s race unfolded as a close contest for the remaining podium places behind Bahrain. Vishal Thennarasu ran the opening leg, followed by Poovamma, Manu T.S. and Vithya Ramraj. India finished in 3:14.46, while Vietnam stopped the clock at 3:14.54. World Athletics records the two performances as second and third respectively, confirming the eight-hundredths-of-a-second gap. Bahrain’s winning time of 3:12.87 was also recorded as the fastest mixed 4x400m performance of the 2026 Asian Games. Vithya’s anchor leg was particularly important as India secured second place in the closing stages.
🥈🇮🇳 THAT SILVER MOMENT! 🔥
— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) September 24, 2026
The cheers, the celebration, the Indian flag flying high! Manu TS, Poovamma MR, Vishal TK & Vithya Ramraj (TOPS Development Athletes) soak in a hard-earned SILVER after a stunning 3:14.46 in the Mixed 4×400m Relay at #AsianGames2026! 🏃♂️🏃♀️
A moment of… pic.twitter.com/oEAIC7Mpme
Three Straight Silvers
The 2026 result extends India’s consistent record in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games. At Jakarta 2018, India won silver in the event with Arokia Rajiv, Hima Das, Muhammed Anas Yahiya and M.R. Poovamma among the medallists; the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ official medal database lists the mixed 4x400m relay as a silver medal for each of the four athletes.
At Hangzhou 2022, which was held in 2023, Muhammed Ajmal Variyathodi, Vithya Ramraj, Rajesh Ramesh and Subha Venkatesan also won silver, clocking 3:14.34 behind Bahrain’s 3:14.02. World Athletics confirms the result, while the Press Information Bureau records Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating that quartet for its silver medal and praising its teamwork. The Aichi-Nagoya medal therefore gives India three consecutive silver medals in the event.
Leaders Praise Teamwork
The latest performance drew recognition from India’s senior leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Manu T.S., Poovamma M.R., Vishal T.K. and Vithya Ramraj, describing their performance as “exceptional” and highlighting their “speed, coordination and determination”.
President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated the quartet, saying their “commendable performance and teamwork” had added another proud achievement to India’s athletics journey. Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya described the performance as “brilliant” and congratulated the four athletes after their silver-medal finish.
An exceptional performance by our Mixed 4x400m Relay team!
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) September 25, 2026
Congratulations to Manu TS, Poovamma MR, Vishal TK and Vithya Ramraj on winning the Silver medal at the Asian Games. Their speed, coordination and determination made for an exciting race and a proud moment for Indian…
India’s Athletics Momentum
The mixed relay silver was one of India’s athletics medals on September 24. Seema Kumari won bronze in the women’s 10,000m, clocking 32:50.05, while the mixed relay team added silver later in the day. India’s relay result also showed an improvement from its qualifying performance: the quartet had clocked 3:16.23 to finish second in its heat before recording 3:14.46 in the final. The result keeps India on the podium in the mixed 4x400m relay whenever the country has contested the event at the Asian Games, with the medal colour remaining silver across the three editions.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
A relay is built around four athletes sharing responsibility, and India’s performance in Nagoya underlined the importance of coordination, trust and composure when the margins are measured in hundredths of a second. The team’s three successive Asian Games silver medals also provide a clear example of continuity in a demanding athletics event.
At the same time, the close finish with Vietnam shows that success at this level can come down to fractions of a second, making every exchange and every final stride significant. As Indian athletics continues to develop, how can the country build on this consistency while creating opportunities for more athletes to compete at the highest level?
