'Feels incredible when national anthem plays': Relay gold winners return
Relive the emotional homecoming of Kiran Pahal, Prachi Choudhary, and MR Poovamma after their historic 4x400m relay gold at the Asian Games 2026.
Emotions overflowed at Delhi Airport as India’s triumphant women’s 4x400m relay quartet—Kiran Pahal, Prachi Choudhary, and MR Poovamma—returned home to a hero's welcome. The athletes, who were joined by Vithya Ramraj in their historic victory, were greeted with garlands, loud cheers, and emotional embraces from family members following their monumental achievement at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya.
A Historic First for Indian Athletics
The relay team secured India's first athletics gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games. The quartet delivered a stellar performance, clocking a time of 3:29.69 to finish ahead of the competition. The podium standings were as follows:
- Gold: India (3:29.69)
- Silver: Bahrain (3:30.21)
- Bronze: China (3:31.02)
For Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj, the gold was a double celebration. Prachi had previously secured a bronze in the women's 400m event, while Vithya had earned a bronze in the women's 400m hurdles.
The Pride of the National Anthem
Speaking to the media upon their return, Kiran Pahal shared the profound impact of hearing the national anthem atop the podium. She noted that since the team had not secured a medal prior to this event, the moment felt even more significant.
"It feels incredible when the national anthem plays. Especially since we hadn't won a medal before this. When the national anthem played for the gold, it filled us with immense pride," Pahal said. She dedicated the victory to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the government, her family, her coach, and the entire nation.
MR Poovamma, who hails from Karnataka, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing how much the team had hungered for an athletics gold. She expressed her gratitude to God, her family, and the various sporting bodies, including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), for their unwavering support.
Eyes Set on the World Championships
While the celebrations in Delhi are in full swing, the athletes are already looking toward the future. Prachi Choudhary, still reeling from the joy of the relay gold, revealed that the team's ambitions have only grown larger.
"I feel so happy, truly overjoyed, especially since our team has won its first gold medal... Our next target is to win gold at the World Championships," Choudhary stated, signaling that India's dominance on the track is just beginning.