Nagoya Vithya Ramraj scripted a landmark moment in Indian athletics at the Asian Games 2026 on Monday, breaking the 42-year-old national record held by legendary athlete PT Usha in the women’s 400m hurdles. Ramraj clocked a personal best of 54.75 seconds to win the bronze medal in a thrilling final. Her performance improved Usha’s previous national benchmark of 55.42 seconds by 0.67 seconds, bringing an end to one of the longest-standing records in Indian athletics. Usha had established the record at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she narrowly missed a medal after finishing fourth in the Olympic final. Ramraj had equalled the mark at the 2023 Asian Games, where she also won bronze. Three years later, the Indian athlete finally moved beyond Usha’s historic mark. Ramraj remained firmly in medal contention throughout the race and held her position during the closing stages. However, she could not match the late acceleration of Mariam Kareem of the United Arab Emirates, who won gold in a Games-record 54.31 seconds. Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems secured silver with a personal best of 54.58 seconds, while Ramraj completed the podium with her 54.75-second effort. Indian athlete Anu Raghavan also delivered an impressive performance, lowering her personal best to 55.88 seconds and finishing fifth from lane eight. Ramraj’s latest achievement gives her a second successive Asian Games bronze in the event and establishes her as the new national record holder.