Vithya Ramraj Breaks PT Usha’s 42-Year-Old National Record With Asian Games Bronze
Indian athlete Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha’s national record in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games, clocking a personal-best 54.75 seconds to win the bronze medal in Nagoya. Her performance lowered Usha’s 55.42-second mark by 0.67 seconds, ending one of the longest-standing records in Indian athletics.
The achievement came more than four decades after PT Usha established the previous record at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Vithya Ramraj Sets New 400m Hurdles National Record
Vithya produced a personal-best time of 54.75 seconds in the Asian Games final, finishing third and securing the bronze medal.
Her performance improved the previous Indian national record of 55.42 seconds, which PT Usha had set during her fourth-place finish in the 400m hurdles final at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 0.67-second improvement was enough to establish Vithya as the new national record holder in the event.
PT Usha’s Record Had Stood Since 1984
PT Usha’s 55.42-second performance had remained the benchmark for Indian women’s 400m hurdles for 42 years.
Usha narrowly missed an Olympic medal in Los Angeles, finishing fourth by just 0.01 seconds. Her performance nevertheless produced a national record that remained untouched for more than four decades.
Vithya had already come close to the mark before finally breaking it in Nagoya.
At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she clocked exactly 55.42 seconds, equalling Usha’s national record. She went on to win bronze in that edition as well.
Vithya Finishes Third in Closely Contested Final
The women’s 400m hurdles final in Nagoya was tightly contested.
UAE athlete Mariam Kareem won the gold medal with a Games-record time of 54.31 seconds, while Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58 seconds.
Vithya finished third in 54.75 seconds. Another Indian finalist, Anu Raghavan, finished fifth with a personal-best 55.88 seconds.
The result gave Vithya another Asian Games medal while also rewriting the Indian record books.
Vithya Had Already Won a Medal in Nagoya
The 400m hurdles bronze was Vithya Ramraj’s second medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
Earlier in the competition, she was part of India’s silver-winning mixed 4x400m relay team. Her latest bronze also continued her record of winning medals in the 400m hurdles at successive Asian Games editions.
Her performance in Nagoya therefore combined individual and team success during the same competition.
From Matching Usha’s Mark to Breaking It
Vithya’s journey to the new record has been particularly notable because she had previously matched the mark.
In 2023, she equalled Usha’s 55.42 seconds. Three years later, she returned to the Asian Games and went significantly faster, recording 54.75 seconds.
That improvement of 0.67 seconds moved the Indian national record into a new era for the women’s 400m hurdles.
PT Usha Praises Vithya Ramraj’s Achievement
PT Usha also acknowledged Vithya’s achievement after the record was broken.
Usha described the moment as a source of pride and emphasized the idea that records are eventually meant to be surpassed. Her response came after Vithya finally moved beyond the benchmark that had carried Usha’s name since 1984.
The interaction added another dimension to a significant moment in Indian athletics, connecting one generation of 400m hurdles success with another.
A New Benchmark for Indian Athletics
Vithya Ramraj’s 54.75-second run now stands as the national record in the women’s 400m hurdles.
The performance also marked the first time an Indian woman had gone below the 55-second barrier in the event, according to reports on the Nagoya final.
With Vithya having already demonstrated an ability to improve significantly on her previous best, her new national record provides a new benchmark for Indian hurdlers in the event.
FAQs
1. What record did Vithya Ramraj break?
Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha’s national record in the women’s 400m hurdles.
2. What was Vithya Ramraj’s time?
Vithya clocked 54.75 seconds, a personal best and new Indian national record.
3. What was PT Usha’s previous record?
PT Usha’s previous national record was 55.42 seconds, set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
4. How long did PT Usha’s record stand?
The record stood for 42 years, from 1984 until Vithya broke it at the 2026 Asian Games.
5. What medal did Vithya Ramraj win?
Vithya won the bronze medal in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games.
6. Who won the women’s 400m hurdles gold medal?
UAE’s Mariam Kareem won gold with a Games-record time of 54.31 seconds.
7. Who won silver in the event?
Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems won silver with a time of 54.58 seconds.
8. Had Vithya previously matched PT Usha’s record?
Yes. Vithya equalled Usha’s 55.42-second national record at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
9. Was this Vithya’s first medal at the 2026 Asian Games?
No. She had already won a silver medal as part of India’s mixed 4x400m relay team.
10. What is Vithya Ramraj’s new national record?
Vithya Ramraj’s new Indian national record in the women’s 400m hurdles is 54.75 seconds.
