Reflecting on the biggest lesson she takes from the Asian Games, Vithya says breaking PT Usha’s record has strengthened her belief in what Indian athletes can achieve.
Coimbatore-born athlete Vithya Ramraj ran her way into the record books at the ongoing Asian Games in Nagoya, bagging three medals — one of each colour — while clearing one of the biggest hurdles of her career: the 43-year-old national record set by the legendary PT Usha in the 400m hurdles, which she had been chasing for three years. ‘I never imagined I would go below the 56-second barrier’ “I’m extremely happy. I never imagined I would go below the 56-second barrier. She says, “This is the first time an Indian athlete has broken the legendary PT Usha ma’am’s national record, which had stood since 1984. PT Usha’s 55.42-second national record had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Vithya finally bettered it with 54.75 seconds in Nagoya — three years after she had equalled Usha’s mark at the 2023 Asian Games. Vithya Ramraj breaking my 43-year-old national record in the 400m hurdles is an incredibly special moment PT Usha ‘The biggest pressure comes during training’ On handling the pressure of representing India at a major international event, she shares, “The biggest pressure comes during training. I don’t like running 450 metres, but my coach makes me complete that stretch once every week. A single T-shirt could cost ₹2,000, while we sometimes struggled even to buy good spikes. But I was happy even when my parents (her father, Ramraj, is a truck driver) managed to buy me a ₹200 T-shirt for a competition.
I don’t know how to express it,” begins Vithya and adds, “Standing on the podium and hearing the national anthem has been a long-time dream and goal for me. Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought I would finish with such a good timing. ” ‘My coach believed in me, and I believed in him’ Reflecting on the biggest lesson she takes from the Asian Games, Vithya says breaking PT Usha’s record has strengthened her belief in what Indian athletes can achieve. ‘During childhood, I had only two T-shirts to wear for competitions’ Recalling her early struggles, Vithya says, “I have faced a lot of struggles and challenges in my life.
Speaking to us, Vithya reflects on the challenges behind her success, her Asian Games preparation, the lessons she takes from the competition, her inspirations, what lies ahead and more. .. At the last Asian Games, I couldn’t achieve it, even in the individual event. Despite giving my best, I finished with a bronze. So, I thought, why not try my best in the relay? My coach believed in me, and I believed in him. This achievement makes me feel that Indians can achieve anything if we believe in ourselves. Even breaking records at the Olympics is possible. We have to believe in ourselves, keep working hard and make our country proud. I believe that is how we can aim for even greater records in the future. It is extremely painful and there have been times when it has made me cry. During those sessions, I would experience vomiting and a lot of lactate buildup, but I had to keep pushing myself to run faster. Those difficult workouts prepared me to handle the pressure of competition. I have learnt to manage the physical challenges and keep going. During childhood, I would see people around me wearing good clothes, while I had only two T-shirts to wear even for competitions. Other athletes would have good-quality shoes and spikes thanks to their well-settled families while I had to manage with whatever I had. I would be happy for them, but somewhere I would also wonder when I would have those things in my life. ‘Cash award after the last Asian Games supported my prep for three years’
I’ve been practising sports for almost 16 years and preparing for the 400m hurdles since 2019. Vithya Ramraj ‘If Poovamma akka can do it at 36, why can’t we at 28? At 36, she has achieved so much. That makes me feel that if she can do it at 36, why can’t we achieve our goals at 28?
Because of the support I receive from the State Government, “Today, I am able to spend even ₹50,000 on sports equipment, and that is. Because my family was going through financial struggles, i got into sports. This is her third Asian Games, and she has won around six medals at the Asian Games and represented India at three Olympic Games.
She says, “During childhood, we should not force children into something. She adds that financial assistance from the Tamil Nadu government has changed the way she prepares for competitions. The cash award I received after the last Asian Games supported my preparation for almost three years. I’m extremely thankful to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the State Government for always being there for athletes and supporting us through various schemes. Their assistance has played an important role in our journey. Without that support, we would not have come this far or achieved what we have for India. I have been careful with my finances and whatever I save from the cash award, I plan to utilise for my upcoming competitions, including the Olympics. I was born and brought up in Coimbatore, and have done all my training and learning there. The city has been an important part of my journey. I dedicate this medal to my twin sister, Nithya and my coach, Nehpal Singh Rathore. She names her senior MR Poovamma as one of the athletes who have inspired her. “Raju Poovamma akka, who ran alongside me during the Games, is a huge inspiration. Age is just a number. Even until the last minute, she was encouraging me and holding my hand. She kept telling me, ‘We are going to clinch the gold medal, Vithya. Let’s do it. The gold medal is ours. That motivation meant a lot to me,” she shares. ‘We should not force children into something’ For young women aspiring to pursue sports, Vithya believes they should be allowed to make their own choices. We should allow them to enjoy and choose what they genuinely want to do in life. They thought that if I joined a sports hostel, I would get food, clothes, shoes and other facilities. At home, we could not afford non-vegetarian food regularly, while at the hostel, I could get nutritious food throughout the week. So, I believe we should first let children decide what they want and then understand and support their interests accordingly. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test Get the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.