Vithya Ramraj etched her name into Indian athletics history on Monday, September 28, 2026, breaking PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, clocking a personal best of 54.75 seconds to claim bronze.
A Record Chased For Years
The mark had been within Ramraj’s reach for a while. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she equalled Usha’s iconic 55.42-second time, set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, and went on to win bronze in that final too. On Monday in Nagoya, she finally went one better, lowering the record by 0.67 seconds and becoming the first Indian woman to break the 55-second barrier in the event.
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From Coimbatore To The Podium
The 28-year-old hails from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where her father works as a truck driver and her mother Meena is a homemaker. Her identical twin sister, Nithya, is also a competitive athlete. Ramraj’s journey has not been without setbacks; she once considered quitting the sport altogether before breaking through onto the international stage.
A Closely Fought Final
Ramraj cleared all 10 hurdles to finish third in a tightly contested final. UAE’s Mariam Kareem won gold in a Games record time of 54.31 seconds, while Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in a personal best of 54.58 seconds. India’s other finalist, Anu Raghavan, finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.
A Season Of Milestones
The 400m hurdles bronze was Ramraj’s second medal of the Nagoya Games, after she helped India win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay earlier in the competition, successfully defending the medal India had won at the 2023 Hangzhou edition. She is now set to compete in the women’s 4x400m relay on the final day of athletics action.
PT Usha’s Gracious Response
Legendary athlete and current Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha congratulated Ramraj on social media, calling the moment “a special moment of pride” and saying the true legacy of a record lies in inspiring the next generation to surpass it.