Vithya Ramraj’s record run: How far has India come in the 400m hurdles?
Indian athlete Vithya Ramraj set a new national record in the 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games, becoming the first Indian woman to break the 55-second barrier. Despite finishing third in the race, her performance marks a significant milestone in Indian athletics.
Why it matters
This achievement represents a major progression for Indian track and field, highlighting the country's growing competitiveness in international hurdle events.
As Vithya Ramraj entered the final stretch of the 400m hurdles in Aichi-Nagoya, the race for gold was still open for India at the 2026 Asian Games. Vithya and the UAE’s Mariam Kareem were neck-and-neck over the final two hurdles, with Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems just behind them. But at the last hurdle, Vithya lost some ground as Mariam surged ahead to take gold in a Games-record 54.31 seconds, while Adelina moved past Vithya to claim silver in 54.58. The Indian crossed the line third in 54.75.
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