Vithya Ramraj has completed a remarkable three-medal campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, winning gold in the women’s 4x400m relay, silver in the mixed 4x400m relay and bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles. On September 28, the 28-year-old from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, clocked 54.75 seconds in the hurdles final, breaking PT Usha’s 55.42-second national record that had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Ramraj had equalled Usha’s mark at the 2023 Asian Games before finally surpassing it three years later. Her latest gold came on September 30, when she ran alongside Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma and Prachi as India won the women’s 4x400m relay in 3:29.69.
Her journey from a financially constrained family, where her father worked as a truck driver, to the Asian Games podium has included a sports hostel, national camps, illness, injury, independent training and crucial support from her twin sister Nithya.
Breaking Usha’s Record
Ramraj’s record-breaking performance came in the women’s 400m hurdles final in Nagoya on September 28. She finished third in 54.75 seconds, improving the Indian national record by 0.67 seconds. Usha had set the previous mark of 55.42 seconds at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and Ramraj had equalled it at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Ramraj’s 54.75-second run also made her the first Indian woman to break the 55-second barrier in the 400m hurdles.
The hurdles bronze was her second medal of the Games. Earlier, she had helped India win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay in 3:14.46. Her campaign was completed on September 30, when she ran the anchor leg of India’s women’s 4x400m relay team alongside Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma and Prachi. India clocked 3:29.69 to win gold, ahead of Bahrain and China. Ramraj therefore finished the Games with one gold, one silver and one bronze.
PT Usha Applauds Milestone
PT Usha congratulated Ramraj after her long-standing national record was broken. “Records are meant to be broken,” Usha said, describing the achievement as an “incredibly special moment”. She also said there was “no greater reward for an athlete” than seeing the next generation go beyond the boundaries set by those before them.
Usha’s response added significance to a moment that connected two generations of Indian athletics. The record had remained untouched for more than four decades before Ramraj first equalled it in Hangzhou in 2023. Three years later, she finally moved beyond it in Nagoya. Usha’s reaction recognised Ramraj’s achievement while highlighting how sporting records can inspire future generations.
Congratulations Vithya!!
— P.T. USHA (@PTUshaOfficial) September 28, 2026
Records are meant to be broken & there is no greater reward for an athlete than to see the next generation go beyond the boundaries we once set. Vithya Ramraj breaking my 43-year-old national record in the 400m hurdles is an incredibly special moment. pic.twitter.com/zkmgDjvMfY
A Journey Through Struggle
Ramraj’s journey began in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where she grew up with her twin sister Nithya and elder sister Sathya. Her father worked as a truck driver, while her mother Meena was a homemaker. The twins initially played hockey before a physical education teacher recognised their athletic potential. Their mother later enrolled them at a sports hostel in Erode when they were in Class 7, providing them with an opportunity to train despite the financial limitations of their family.
Ramraj initially competed in sprinting before moving towards the 400m and eventually the 400m hurdles. She pursued a BBA degree through the sports quota and joined the national camp at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala in 2018. Her progress, however, was interrupted by challenges at the camp, a Covid-19 infection and surgery for appendicitis while preparing for the Tokyo Olympic trials.
In 2022, Ramraj moved to Chennai and began training independently under coach Nehpal Singh Rathore. Her twin sister Nithya, who had secured employment with the Income Tax Department, helped support her training, travel and other expenses. Ramraj later joined Indian Railways. The sisters’ sporting journey also made them the first twins to represent India at the Asian Games.
From Hangzhou To Nagoya
The 2023 Asian Games marked a major breakthrough. Ramraj won bronze in the 400m hurdles and silver medals in both the women’s 4x400m relay and mixed 4x400m relay. Her 55.42-second timing in the hurdles heats equalled Usha’s national record and placed her name alongside one of India’s most celebrated track athletes.
She subsequently represented India at the Paris 2024 Olympics as part of the women’s 4x400m relay team. In 2025, she won bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea.
At Aichi-Nagoya 2026, Ramraj took the next step. Her mixed-relay silver provided an early podium finish, her hurdles bronze delivered the national record she had been chasing since 2023, and the women’s 4x400m relay gold completed her three-medal campaign. The progression from equalling Usha’s record in Hangzhou to surpassing it in Nagoya has now become one of the defining chapters of her athletics career.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Vithya Ramraj’s journey is about more than a national record or three Asian Games medals. It highlights the years of work, family support, coaching and access to sporting opportunities that often remain invisible behind an athlete’s podium moment.
Her story also shows why sustained investment in athletes from financially constrained backgrounds matters, particularly when talent alone cannot pay for training, travel and equipment. At the same time, PT Usha’s response demonstrates how sporting legacies can evolve across generations, with one athlete’s record becoming another athlete’s inspiration.
As Ramraj’s achievement inspires young athletes across India, how can we build stronger support systems so that more talent gets the chance to reach its full potential?
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