Truck Driver’s Daughter Breaks a 42-Year-Old Record at the Asian Games

Nagoya, Japan — September 29, 2026

Vithya Ramraj had spent years chasing a record that had stood in Indian athletics since 1984. At the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, the 27-year-old hurdler finally went beyond it.

Ramraj clocked 54.75 seconds in the women’s 400-metre hurdles final, winning bronze and breaking P. T. Usha’s national record of 55.42 seconds, which had stood for 42 years.

A Record She Had Already Come Close To

The record was not unfamiliar to Ramraj. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, she had equalled Usha’s 55.42-second mark in the heats.

For the next three years, however, she was unable to run faster than the historic time. In Nagoya, she finally broke through, lowering the record by 0.67 seconds and becoming the first Indian woman to break 55 seconds in the event.

Her Twin Sister Helped Keep the Dream Alive

Ramraj grew up in Coimbatore with her identical twin sister, Nithya, who also became an athlete. Their father worked as a truck driver, while their family struggled to afford the costs associated with competitive sport.

The sisters eventually joined a sports hostel in Erode, which helped reduce the financial burden on their family. Later, when Vithya left the national camp and began training independently, her twin sister played an important role in supporting her.

Nithya had found employment with the Income Tax Department and used part of her salary to help pay for Vithya’s training, food and accommodation until Vithya secured her own job with Indian Railways.

Setbacks Along the Way

Vithya’s path to the Asian Games was not straightforward. Her preparations for the Tokyo Olympic trials were disrupted by COVID-19 and surgery for appendicitis. She also struggled during her time at the national training camp in Patiala and eventually returned home.

She later moved to Chennai and continued training independently. Her coach encouraged her to compete in both the 400 metres and 400-metre hurdles and eventually set her sights on Usha’s long-standing record.

The Moment the Record Finally Fell

When Ramraj crossed the finish line in Nagoya, she initially celebrated before realizing exactly what her time meant. She then broke into a small dance on the track as the significance of the achievement sank in.

Usha herself congratulated Ramraj after the race, welcoming the fact that the next generation had finally surpassed a record that had stood since her own Olympic career.

For Ramraj, the bronze medal became part of a larger achievement. After years of chasing a number she had once only managed to equal, she had finally written a new one into the record books.

Sources

• Gulf News — Truck driver’s daughter Vithya Ramraj overcame years of struggle to break PT Usha’s 42-year record — September 29, 2026.
• The Times of India — A 42-year-old record, a trucker’s daughter: Vithya Ramraj breaks PT Usha’s mark and rewrites history — September 28, 2026.
• India Today — Records are meant to be broken: PT Usha reacts as Vithya Ramraj breaks her 42-year-old national record — September 28, 2026.
• The Indian Express — Vithya Ramraj breaks 42-year-old national record of PT Usha to win bronze — September 28, 2026.