Vithya Ramraj Broke P.T. Usha’s Record—But Her Story Started Long Before Asian Games Glory
Vithya Ramraj’s record-breaking run at the Asian Games 2026 was more than another medal-winning performance. The Indian hurdler’s journey from a modest family in Coimbatore to the Asian Games podium has been shaped by years of training, family support and determination.
At the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, Ramraj clocked 54.75 seconds in the women’s 400m hurdles final to win the bronze medal and break P.T. Usha’s long-standing national record of 55.42 seconds. The new mark also made Ramraj the first Indian woman to complete the event in under 55 seconds.
Usha had set the previous record at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Ramraj had already equalled the mark at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, when she ran 55.42 seconds. Three years later, she finally went past it, lowering the national record by 0.67 seconds.
A Family That Backed Her Sporting Dreams
Ramraj’s success has deep roots in her family’s struggles. Her father, Ramraj, worked as a driver while supporting his three daughters. Despite financial difficulties, he continued to support Vithya and her twin sister Nithya as they pursued athletics.
Vithya began staying at the SDAT hostel in Erode from Class VI and studied at a government school there until Class X. She later continued her education at Sengunthar School and college. Her sporting journey also took her to Punjab, where she spent three years in a hostel and trained under coaches.
The family faced difficult decisions along the way. After Ramraj won three medals, she had an opportunity to take up a government job in Telangana. Her father, however, did not accept the offer because it would not have allowed her to transfer to Tamil Nadu. She eventually secured a job with the Railways in Tamil Nadu.
For Vithya’s mother, Meena, her daughter’s record-breaking performance was also a response to the questions the family had faced while raising three daughters. The achievements of the sisters ultimately became the answer to those doubts.
Three Medals at the 2026 Asian Games
Ramraj’s Asian Games campaign in 2026 became even more memorable because she won three medals.
She was part of India’s silver-medal-winning mixed 4x400m relay team earlier in the Games. She then won bronze in the 400m hurdles while setting the national record, before helping India win gold in the women’s 4x400m relay.
The women’s 4x400m relay team of Vithya Ramraj, Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma and Prachi clocked 3:29.69 to win gold. India finished ahead of Bahrain and China in the final.
The three medals added to Ramraj’s growing Asian Games record and underlined her importance to India’s athletics campaign.
Breaking a Record That Stood for 42 Years
The significance of Ramraj’s 54.75-second run goes beyond the bronze medal. She replaced one of the most enduring national records in Indian athletics.
P.T. Usha’s 55.42-second mark had stood since 1984. Ramraj had come within one hundredth of a second of breaking it at the previous Asian Games, but her performance in Nagoya finally took the record away from the legendary Indian athlete.
For Ramraj, the achievement was deeply personal. After the race, she spoke about her pride in breaking Usha’s record and becoming the first Indian woman to go below 55 seconds in the event.
Recognition From Tamil Nadu
Ramraj’s performance also brought recognition from the Tamil Nadu government. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced a ₹30 lakh cash incentive following her record-breaking bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. The announcement came after her 54.75-second performance in the Asian Games final.
For the Ramraj family, however, the achievement represents much more than a financial reward or another medal. Years after her father worked to give his daughters opportunities in sport, Vithya has reached the highest stages of Asian athletics.
Her 54.75-second run has now placed her name alongside one of the most celebrated records in Indian track and field — and, finally, ahead of it.
