Vithya Ramraj breaks PT Usha record for hurdles bronze

Indian runner Vithya Ramraj secured third place in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games on Monday. She clocked a personal best time of 54.75 seconds to win a hard-fought bronze medal. This impressive track performance in Aichi-Nagoya officially broke a legendary national record that remained completely intact since 1984.

Surpassing the previous 55.42-second mark set by legendary sprinter PT Usha at the Los Angeles Olympics, Vithya finally claimed the top spot in Indian athletics history. She previously equalled this exact finishing time during her 2023 racing season. The 400m hurdles record set by PT Usha stood as one of the oldest surviving marks in Indian sports history before finally falling this week. According to officials from the Athletics Federation of India, Vithya successfully cleared all ten track hurdles with excellent pacing and focus to achieve her new personal best.

Mariam Kareem from the UAE captured the gold medal by crossing the finish line in a blistering Games record time of 54.31 seconds. Kazakhstan athlete Adelina Zems grabbed the silver prize with a solid 54.58-second finish. Another Indian runner, Anu Raghavan, delivered a strong race on the same track. She finished fifth overall while successfully recording her own personal best time of 55.88 seconds.

This podium finish brings India’s overall medal count to 40 at the ongoing sporting event. The current national haul includes four gold, 17 silver, and 19 bronze medals. Following Monday's track events, India currently occupies the 12th position in the overall Asian Games standings. Vithya’s breakthrough run offers a major confidence boost to the entire national athletics squad competing in Japan.

With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI