CM Nayab Saini Hails India's 4x400m Relay Gold at Asian Games 2026
Synopsis
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini praised the Indian women's 4x400m relay team of Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi, and Vithya Ramraj for winning gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, calling it a historic achievement for Indian athletics.
Key Takeaways
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a tribute on 29 September 2026 celebrating India's women's 4x400m relay gold at Asian Games 2026 .
The gold-winning team comprised Kiran Pahal , Poovamma Machettira , Prachi , and Vithya Ramraj .
The Asian Games 2026 are hosted in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan .
CM Saini credited the team's 'speed, coordination, and teamwork' for the historic result.
Haryana has a strong tradition of producing national-level track and field talent through state academies.
India's women's relay programme has been building medal results across successive Asian Games cycles since the 2010s.
India's golden girls blazed down the track at the Asian Games 2026, and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was among the first to salute them — posting a heartfelt tribute on Tuesday, 29 September 2026 to celebrate the Indian women's 4x400 metre relay team's gold medal triumph.
In his post, CM Saini wrote — 'एथलेटिक्स में भारत की बेटियों का स्वर्णिम परचम!' ('India's daughters raise a golden flag in athletics!') — and named each athlete who made it happen: Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi, and Vithya Ramraj. He credited their 'speed, coordination, and teamwork' for delivering the historic result, extending congratulations and wishing the squad a bright future ahead.
Four Athletes, One Baton, One Gold
The relay gold was a collective achievement that drew on the depth of India's women's 400m pipeline. Poovamma Machettira, a seasoned relay specialist with years of Asian-level experience, anchored the team's experience quotient. Vithya Ramraj, known for her explosive 400m pace, brought electric energy to her leg. Kiran Pahal and Prachi completed a quartet that ran in tight, disciplined formation — the kind of baton-exchange precision that separates relay gold from relay near-misses. The Asian Games 2026, hosted across Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, provided the stage. India's women's relay unit has been building toward this kind of result through successive international cycles, with national federations and state athletics academies steadily raising the bar on relay training and selection depth.Haryana's Stake in India's Track Story
CM Saini's tribute is not merely ceremonial. Haryana has long punched above its weight in Indian athletics — a state whose sports academies and grassroots infrastructure have fed the national pipeline across wrestling, boxing, and increasingly, track and field. State leaders highlighting national relay victories serves a dual purpose: recognising achievement on the global stage while signalling to young athletes at home that the path from a district track to an Asian Games podium is real and navigable. India's women's 4x400m relay has seen incremental medal results at Asian Games across the 2010s and the 2023 Hangzhou edition, making a gold in 2026 a statement of sustained, compounding progress — not a one-off flash. Four women, one baton passed cleanly four times, and a gold medal that now belongs to all of them. The next question is whether this squad can carry the momentum into the global relay circuit — and whether India's relay depth is finally wide enough to make that ambition stick.Point of View
Making relay gold a natural touchpoint for the Chief Minister. The specific naming of all four athletes — rather than a generic team mention — signals a more personalised, social-media-savvy political communication style. Longer term, state-level celebration of women's athletics reflects a broader push to reframe Haryana's image beyond its historically skewed gender narratives.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the women's 4x400m relay gold at Asian Games 2026?
India's women's 4x400m relay team — comprising Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi, and Vithya Ramraj — won the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Where are the Asian Games 2026 being held?
The Asian Games 2026 are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Why did Haryana CM Nayab Saini post about the relay gold?
CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a congratulatory tribute on X to celebrate India's historic gold in the women's 4x400m relay, praising the athletes' speed, coordination, and teamwork.
Who is Vithya Ramraj?
Vithya Ramraj is an Indian track athlete who competes in 400m and relay events at the Asian level and was part of the gold-medal-winning 4x400m relay team at Asian Games 2026.
Who is Poovamma Machettira?
Poovamma Machettira is a veteran Indian 400m runner and relay specialist with extensive international experience, who ran as part of India's gold-winning women's relay team at Asian Games 2026.
