Asian Games 2026 Athletics: Vithya Ramraj Claims 400m Hurdles Bronze; Avinash Sable Misses Out On Steeplechase Podium

India's Vithya Ramraj clinched a bronze medal in the women's 400m hurdles event but long-distance runner Avinash Sable failed to defend his gold medal, finishing fourth in the men's 3000m steeplechase final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Monday.

Ramraj clocked a personal best of 54.75 seconds to break a more than four-decade-old national record created by the legendary P T Usha and win a second medal at the ongoing edition of the quadrennial event. She was a part of the silver-winning the 4x400m mixed relay team.

The 28-year-old from Coimbatore finished behind UAE's Mariam Kareem, who won gold with a Games record 54.31 seconds, and Kazakhstan's Adelina Zems, who took silver with a personal best of 54.58sec.

Ramraj bettered Usha's 55.42sec effort that came in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Usha is currently heading the Indian Olympic Association and is in attendance at the Games.

"Medal is in our hands, but time is not. This race will not come tomorrow or yesterday. Today is our day, so I was going for the timing, not the medal," she said after the race.

"My coach said we would go 54 seconds. I did it, and I am so happy. The timing was so good, so I am very happy.

"Everyone has been asking me because I had not gone under 55 seconds for three years. My coach Nehpal Singh Rathore told me to go fast, then maintain it through the sixth hurdle. From the sixth hurdle to the finish line, it was all out."

India's Anu Raghavan finished fifth. She recorded a personal best of 55.88 seconds.

Later, the injury-ravaged Sable produced a season's best effort but could not defend his gold medal, finishing fourth in the men's 3000m steeplechase final.

The 32-year-old from Maharashtra, a two-time Olympian, clocked 8:21.67sec, finishing 4.31 seconds behind Japan's Ryuji Miura, who won the gold with a Games record of 8:17.36sec.

Miura's compatriot Ryoma Aoki claimed the silver with a personal best of 8:17.60, while Qatar's Zakaria Elahlaami took the bronze in 8:18.13.

In men's 400m hurdles final, Santosh Kumar Tamilarasan clocked 49.95s to finish seventh in the eight-man field.

Earlier, Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Seema Kaliramna's personal best effort was not enough as she finished fourth in the women's discus throw final.

Seema produced an effort of 59.88m in her fifth attempt, but that was not enough as all three podium finishers had best throws in excess of 60m.