Vithya Ramraj Breaks PT Usha's 42-Year Record at 2026 Asian Games
Coimbatore-born athlete Vithya Ramraj, who trains in Chennai, clinched three medals at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan and broke PT Usha's 42-year-old national record in the 400 metres hurdles. The 28-year-old won gold in the women's 4x400 metres relay, silver in the mixed 4x400 metres relay, and bronze in the 400 metres hurdles after clocking 54.75 seconds.
Ramraj initially believed she had missed out on a podium finish when crossing the line, as other runners had finished ahead of her and the timing board was delayed by a minute. Upon seeing her final time of 54.75 seconds, she celebrated eclipsing the long-standing national record, which had stood as her primary career target.
Her athletic career began in 2009 when a physical education teacher noticed her and her twin sister, Nithya, prompting their mother to enrol them in a sports hostel in Erode. In 2021, Ramraj moved to Chennai to seek individual guidance under coach Nehpal Singh Rathore, who was already coaching her sister. At the time she joined Rathore, her timing stood around 59 seconds in the 400-metre hurdles.
The partnership produced major gains ahead of the previous Asian Games held in China in 2023. At that competition, Ramraj claimed two silver medals in relay events and a bronze in hurdles while equalling PT Usha's national mark of 55.42 seconds, establishing a benchmark she sought to surpass over the following three years.
Following that performance, Ramraj faced persistent outside criticism and pressure to leave Rathore to train under foreign coaches at national camps. Rathore advised her to disregard external opinions and focus entirely on execution. Ahead of the races in Japan, he instructed her to focus purely on her own lane rather than running specifically to chase records or medals.
Ramraj credited institutional backing for sustaining her sporting career, highlighting an annual grant of Rs 30 lakh provided by the state government under the ELITE scheme. She also cited flexible leave policies from her employer, Indian Railways, and noted discussions regarding future athlete assistance with Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna.
