Vithya Ramraj equals PT Usha's 39-year-old national record in women's 400m hurdles at Asian Games 2023

The youngster missed the national record mark by just 0.01 seconds in IGP 5 last month.

In a remarkable feat, Vithya Ramraj, blazed through the women’s 400m hurdles heats at the ongoing Asian Games 2023. She clocked an impressive personal best timing of 55.42 seconds which secured her direct qualification for the final. What makes this achievement even more extraordinary is that Vithya not only booked her spot in the finals but also equaled the revered national record set by Indian track and field legend PT Usha.

The women’s 400m hurdles national record is the longest-standing NR in women’s events and Vithya has not matched it having come agonisingly close to equalling the four-decade long record at the Indian Grand Prix V in Chandigarh earlier this month.

Vithya Ramraj clocks 55.42 seconds in women's 400m hurdles and equals the NR mark set by PT Usha in 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.The 🇮🇳 was 0.01 sec short of breaking the NR last month at IGP and now has one more shot at the finals at #AsianGames2023 #Athletics #AsianGames pic.twitter.com/Jn4aKyYmlq

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) October 2, 2023

The legendary PT Usha set the national record during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics – 39 years back. It’s worth noting that Vithya had previously missed the national record by just 0.01 seconds during the Indian Grand Prix 5 in September this year.

PT Usha’s iconic record of 55.42 seconds has stood the test of time as the second oldest national record in Indian athletics following only Shivnath Singh’s marathon record from 1978. Vithya, 24, has been inspired by and grown up idolizing the legendary PT Usha, making her achievement even more significant in the world of Indian athletics.

Several factors have contributed to her success. The athlete from Tamil Nadu departed from the national camp to receive training from Nehpal Singh when her 400m timings were consistently in the 58 seconds mark. Nehpal, a former athlete coaching at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, recognized Vithya’s potential. He initially focused on enhancing her endurance, and over time, Vithya’s self-confidence also saw a remarkable improvement.

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Instead of approaching hurdles timidly, she began to attack them with determination. In a recent interview to Khel Now, the athlete said she will look to focus on both 400m and 400m hurdles simultaneously. She is set to compete in the women’s 400m hurdles final, scheduled for tomorrow (October 3rd) at 4:50 PM IST.