TN BJP Chief Nainar Nagenthran Hails Vithya Ramraj’s Asian Games Bronze and National Record

Ramraj clocked 54.75 seconds in the final, finishing behind gold medallist Maryam Karim of the United Arab Emirates, who won in 54.31 seconds, and Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems, who took silver in 54.58 seconds.

Nagenthran praised Ramraj's performance in a post on X, describing the achievement as a significant milestone for Indian athletics and Tamil Nadu.

“Heartiest congratulations to Tamil Nadu’s talented athlete and a shining symbol of women’s power, Ms Vidya Ramraj, on winning the bronze medal in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Asian Games, clocking an impressive 54.75 seconds and breaking a remarkable 42-year-old national record,” he posted.

Ramraj's time surpassed the previous national record of 55.42 seconds, set by legendary Indian athlete P. T. Usha at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The achievement gave Ramraj sole ownership of a record she had previously equalled. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she had matched Usha's 55.42-second mark before going faster in the Aichi-Nagoya final.

Nagenthran said the performance reflected Ramraj's determination and perseverance and praised her for raising the standard in Indian athletics.

“She surpassed the previous national record of 55.42 seconds, set by legendary Indian athlete P. T. Usha at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, creating a new milestone in Indian athletics,” he said.

He added that the performance had brought recognition to both Tamil Nadu and India, while expressing hope that Ramraj's achievements would inspire young athletes.

Ramraj finished 0.17 seconds behind silver medallist Zems, while fellow Indian Anu Raghavan finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.

The bronze was another significant achievement for Ramraj at the Asian Games. She had earlier been part of India's silver-medal winning mixed 4x400m relay team at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

Nagenthran also highlighted the broader significance of Ramraj's achievement, saying her effort to surpass a record held for more than four decades could encourage young people, particularly aspiring women athletes, to pursue their sporting ambitions.

“My heartfelt appreciation and best wishes to Ms Vidya Ramraj, a true example of determination, hard work, perseverance and the spirit to achieve excellence. May she continue to scale greater heights, inspire countless young athletes and bring even greater glory to India on the international stage,” he said.