Vithya Ramraj doubles up with 400m hurdles bronze after relay silver

Vithya Ramraj has added another medal to her Asian Games 2026 campaign, winning bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles with a personal-best timing of 54.75 seconds. Four days after helping India win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay, the 28-year-old was back on the podium in Nagoya, this time on her own.

Vithya had already played a key role in India’s silver-winning mixed relay on September 24. Running the anchor leg, she produced a strong finish to overtake Vietnam and bring India home in 3:14.46, successfully defending the silver medal from the previous edition.

The hurdles final brought another opportunity, and Vithya made the most of it. Her 54.75 was not only enough for bronze but also a personal best, as she improved on the 55.68 she clocked while winning bronze at the previous Asian Games.

Mariam Kareem of the UAE won gold in a Games-record 54.31 seconds, while Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58. India’s other finalist, Anu Raghavan, finished fifth in 55.88 seconds.

For Vithya, the result adds another chapter to a steadily growing Asian Games record. She has now collected medals in both the mixed relay and 400m hurdles in Nagoya, continuing a run that has also seen her feature prominently in India’s relay setup and make the individual hurdles podium across successive editions.

Vithya’s first medal in Nagoya came after a tense final leg in the mixed relay. India entered the closing stretch behind Vietnam, but Vithya kept pushing until she edged ahead and secured silver by just 0.08 seconds.

That performance was another reminder of her value in the relay, but the 400m hurdles remains her individual event. Four days later, she had to produce the result herself, and the personal best made the bronze even more significant.ANOTHER PODIUM, ANOTHER STEP FORWARD

Vithya’s latest medal also extends her consistency at the Asian Games. She had already won bronze in the 400m hurdles at the previous edition, after equalling the Indian national record of 55.42 seconds in the heats before finishing third in the final.

The Nagoya campaign has now given her medals in two very different settings. From producing the late surge that secured India’s relay silver to running a personal best in the hurdles, Vithya has once again shown that she can make an impact both as part of a team and on her own.- Ends