Chennai, Sep 29 (IANS): Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthran congratulated athlete Vithya Ramraj after she won bronze in the women’s 400-metre hurdles at the Asian Games, breaking a national record that had stood for 42 years.
In a post on X, Nainar Nagenthran praised the Tamil Nadu runner for finishing the race in 54.75 seconds. He described her as an example of women’s strength and confidence and said her achievement had brought pride to both the state and the country.
“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 on X.
“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. This historic achievement by the daughter of Tamil Nadu has brought immense pride to Tamil Nadu and the entire nation.
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 added.
Ramraj’s time bettered the 55.42-second mark set by P. T. Usha at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She had equalled Usha’s record at the previous Asian Games, but went faster in Monday’s final to claim the mark outright.
Nainar Nagenthran said the result showed what young athletes could achieve through confidence, hard work and perseverance. He wished Ramraj continued success and expressed hope that she would inspire more young sportspersons while bringing further recognition to India on the international stage.
Maryam Karim of the United Arab Emirates won gold in 54.31 seconds, while Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58 seconds. Ramraj finished 0.17 seconds behind the silver medallist. Fellow Indian Anu Raghavan placed fifth with a personal-best 55.88 seconds.
At the 2023 Asian Games, Vithya had equalled PT Usha’s mark in Hangzhou before taking sole ownership of the record in Aichi-Nagoya. She had earlier been part of the Indian team that won silver in the mixed 4×400-metre relay.
Nainar Nagenthran said Ramraj’s determination to improve on an established record would encourage young people pursuing their own goals, particularly aspiring women athletes. He offered his congratulations and best wishes for her future competitions.
