Asian Games 2026: Indian Women Reclaim 4x400m Relay Gold Deliver India’s First Athletics Gold

India’s women’s 4x400m relay quartet delivered a major athletics milestone at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, winning gold and securing the country’s first athletics gold medal of the Games.

Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj clocked 3:29.69 in the final on September 29. Bahrain finished second in 3:30.21, while China took bronze in 3:31.02.

The victory also restored India to the top of the women’s 4x400m relay podium after the country settled for silver at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou. India had won the event at six of the previous seven editions before 2026, underlining the relay’s long-standing importance in Indian women’s athletics.

The result was particularly significant for Vithya Ramraj who anchored the final after already winning bronze in the 400m hurdles at these Games. She had also broken P.T. Usha’s long-standing national record in the event during the competition. M.R. Poovamma, meanwhile added another Asian Games relay gold to her previous victories in 2014 and 2018.

The relay triumph came during a productive day for India in athletics. Gulveer Singh won bronze in the men’s 5000m to complete a three-medal haul while Pooja Singh secured bronze in the women’s high jump. India also won bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay.

Why it matters: The relay gold reinforces India’s depth in women’s track athletics while highlighting the importance of sustained athlete development, competitive experience and relay-team continuity. It also strengthens India’s overall medal campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.