Vithya Ramraj produced a landmark performance at the 2026 Asian Games on Monday, seizing the bronze medal in the women’s 400m hurdles and breaking a 42-year-old national record held by legendary Indian athlete PT Usha.

Competing at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, Ramraj clocked 55.41 seconds in the final to rewrite Usha’s long-standing national record of 55.42 seconds. Usha had set the mark at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she narrowly missed out on a medal after finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles.

Vithya Ramraj, who brought laurels to the nation

Usha’s fourth-place finish in Los Angeles was, at the time, among India’s best individual performances in track and field at the Olympics, alongside Milkha Singh’s fourth-place finish at the 1960 Rome Games. Neeraj Chopra later surpassed those achievements by winning Olympic gold in the men’s javelin throw at the Tokyo Games in 2021.

Ramraj adds another Asian Games medal

Ramraj’s bronze is her second medal at the ongoing Asian Games. She was earlier part of the Indian team that secured silver in the mixed 4x400m relay, delivering a strong comeback as the anchor leg.

The 2026 bronze also adds to her impressive Asian Games record. At the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Ramraj won silver medals in the mixed and women’s 4x400m relay events and a bronze in the 400m hurdles.

Interestingly, she had already equalled Usha’s national record during the heats of the 400m hurdles in Hangzhou, clocking 55.42 seconds. However, she could not replicate that timing in the final, finishing in 55.68 seconds.

UAE’s Mariam Kareem clinches gold

Ramraj finished behind the United Arab Emirates’ Mariam Kareem, who clinched the gold medal with a time of 54.31 seconds. Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took the silver after clocking 54.58 seconds.

The new national record marks another significant milestone in Ramraj’s rapidly developing athletics career. Hailing from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, she trains in Tiruchirappalli and is part of the Indian government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

Ramraj could have another opportunity to add to her medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games. She is part of India’s women’s 4x400m relay squad, which is scheduled to compete on Tuesday, September 29.