The race itself was a high-stakes affair that remained competitive until the final meters. As the field approached the closing stages, Ramraj was locked in a tight battle with the UAE’s Mariam Kareem and Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems. While Kareem eventually surged ahead to secure gold with a Games-record time of 54.31 seconds and Zems claimed silver in 54.58, Ramraj’s third-place finish was defined by her historic breakthrough. The bronze medal served as a significant milestone, marking the culmination of a goal she had pursued since 2023, when she first equalled Usha’s record.
A Strategic Rise in Performance
Reflecting on her achievement, Ramraj credited the guidance of P.T. Usha, who had encouraged her to push for the 54-second mark during their meeting a year prior. This performance has elevated her standing on the global stage, moving her from 56th to 35th in the world rankings. While she remains behind global leaders like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Femke Bol, the result places her 12th on the all-time Asian list, highlighting the increasing depth of competition within the continent.
Her coach, Nepal Singh Rathore, attributes this rapid progression to a dual-focus training regimen that emphasizes speed in the flat 400m. Despite initial skepticism from peers regarding her training for both disciplines, the results have validated the approach. Since 2018, Ramraj has seen her flat 400m time drop from 54.48 seconds to 51.96, while her hurdles performance has improved by nearly five seconds, falling from 59.70 to 54.75. This versatility was a hallmark of her 2026 Asian Games campaign, where she also anchored India to gold in the women’s 4×400m relay and secured silver in the mixed 4×400m relay.
