Golden Girls: India Clinches Historic 4x400m Relay Gold
Indian quartet clinches first athletics gold at Asian Games 2026 with a stunning 4x400m relay performance in Aichi-Nagoya.
In a breathtaking display of speed and determination, the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team has scripted history at the Asian Games 2026. The quartet of Kiran Pahal, Machettira Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary, and Vithya Ramraj secured India's first athletics gold medal of the games, clocking a remarkable time of 3:29.69 in the final held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The victory was hard-fought, as the Indian team managed to outpace Bahrain, who took the silver with 3:30.21, and China, who finished with bronze at 3:31.02. The triumph was particularly impressive given the challenging wet track conditions that threatened to derail the race.
A Milestone for Poovamma and a Dream for Pahal
For veteran athlete MR Poovamma, the victory was a deeply personal milestone. This win marks her sixth Asian Games medal, though it stands as her first athletics gold at the event. Reflecting on her journey, she shared her immense pride in the team's resilience.
"We had only one aim: we had to win gold no matter what—maybe the rain conditions or wet track or whatever; we had to win the gold. So we just proved that we Indian girls are always the golden girls," said Poovamma.
For Kiran Pahal, the gold was an emotional breakthrough. Despite having competed in the 2024 Olympics, this was her first major gold medal. Pahal admitted that her mental focus was entirely on the technical precision of the race.
"My mind was just set on one thing: if I pass the baton properly, if our baton exchange is good, it will give us the lead, and we will win gold. The biggest thought in my mind was that if we stand on the podium, we will get our gold, and our national anthem will be played," Pahal expressed emotionally.
The Drive for Gold: Prachi Choudhary’s Promise
The victory was also a moment of redemption for Prachi Choudhary, who had previously secured a silver medal in the relay at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. Driven by a personal vow and the promise of recognition, Choudhary ran with singular intensity.
Choudhary revealed that her motivation was fueled by a policy from Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, which promised the DSP rank to gold medalists. She had even prepared her uniform in anticipation of the win.
"Even if I die, I'll bring the gold, and I'll come back and wear that uniform. That's what was on my mind," Choudhary stated. She explained that her tactical goal was to build a massive lead to protect teammate Vithya Ramraj from the formidable Bahraini runner, Salwa Naser.
Summary of the Women's 4x400m Relay Final
- Gold: India (3:29.69)
- Silver: Bahrain (3:30.21)
- Bronze: China (3:31.02)
This gold medal follows an earlier success for the Indian athletics contingent, as the mixed 4x400m relay team—comprising Manu TS, Poovamma MR, Vishal TK, and Vithya Ramraj—had previously secured a silver medal at the tournament.