Nagoya, Japan, September 29, 2026:
India’s women delivered a dramatic performance to win gold in the women’s 4×400m relay at the 2026 Asian Games, giving the country its first athletics gold of the Games.
The quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj clocked 3:29.69 to finish first. Bahrain took silver in 3:30.21, while China won bronze in 3:31.02. The Indian Express
Vithya holds on in a dramatic finish
The race was decided in the final leg.
Vithya Ramraj received the baton with India in front as Bahrain mounted a late challenge. The Indian runner held her position through the closing stages to bring the team home for gold. The Indian Express
The victory came just a day after Ramraj had broken P. T. Usha’s 42-year-old national record in the women’s 400m hurdles, running 54.75 seconds for bronze. The Indian Express
A second gold-era moment for Indian athletics
The relay victory also marked India's return to the top of the Asian Games women's 4×400m podium after China won the event at Hangzhou in 2023. It was India's seventh Asian Games gold in the women's 4×400m relay, according to the Indian Express. The Indian Express
For Ramraj, the gold was her third medal of the 2026 Asian Games. She had earlier won silver in the mixed 4×400m relay and bronze in the individual 400m hurdles. The Indian Express
The four runners arrived at the final with different journeys and challenges, but finished with the same result: India back on top of the Asian Games 4×400m relay podium.