Nagoya: Vithya Ramraj produced another memorable finish to her Asian Games campaign as she anchored India to gold in the women’s 4x400m relay, powering the quartet to victory in 3:29.69 on Tuesday.
India’s quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya held their nerve in a tightly contested final to finish ahead of Bahrain, who clocked 3:30.21, while China claimed bronze in 3:31.02.
The gold marked a fitting conclusion to a remarkable Games for Vithya, who added her third medal of the competition after winning silver and bronze in her other events. Just a day earlier, she had rewritten the national record in the women’s 400m hurdles, breaking a mark that had stood for decades.
India started the relay in lane six, with Kiran entrusted with the opening leg. The sprinter handed over in third position, leaving Poovamma with the task of closing the gap.
The experienced Poovamma responded with a strong second leg, moving India into contention at the front before handing over to Prachi, who had already secured an individual bronze in the 400m.
Prachi kept India firmly in the medal hunt and ensured Vithya received the baton in a competitive position for the anchor leg.
The final lap then belonged to Vithya.
She quickly settled into her rhythm and began eating into the gap at the front, making her move around the 200m mark. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Nasr, one of the strongest finishers in the field, launched a determined pursuit and steadily reduced the deficit.
Vithya, however, had done enough work early in the final leg to withstand the challenge. She maintained her composure through the closing stretch and crossed the line first, sparking celebrations in the Indian camp.
The victory also helped India improve on its silver-medal finish in the women’s 4x400m relay at the previous edition of the Asian Games.
For Vithya, the relay gold capped an extraordinary three-medal haul. Her performance in the final added another chapter to a Games in which she had already established herself as one of India’s standout track athletes.
The quartet’s victory also delivered a significant moment for Indian athletics, with Kiran, Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya combining to convert a tightly fought final into India’s gold medal.
Bahrain finished second in 3:30.21, just 0.52 seconds behind India, while China completed the podium with 3:31.02. Japan finished fourth in 3:31.44, followed by Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei.
For a relay team carrying the weight of India’s strong tradition in the women’s 4x400m event, the result provided a golden finish to the track programme at the Asian Games.
(IANS)
