President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday congratulated India's women's 4x400m relay team on clinching the country's first-ever gold in that event at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, while also felicitating the mixed 4x100m and men's 4x400m relay squads for their bronze-medal finishes. The President posted her congratulatory messages on X, calling the women's triumph a milestone that would inspire young girls across India.

Historic Women's 4x400m Gold

The quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary, and Vithya Ramraj clocked 3:29.69 to claim gold — India's first-ever in the women's 4x400m relay at the Asian Games. Bahrain took silver in 3:30.21 and China finished third in 3:31.02. The winning margin of under a second underscores how fiercely contested the event was.

'I am delighted to extend my warm congratulations to Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj on winning the Gold Medal in the Women's 4x400m Relay at the Asian Games 2026. This historic victory has brought India its first-ever gold in this event at the Asian Games. Every Indian feels proud hearing the National Anthem after such a triumph. Memories of the golden moment will be cherished for years to come. This achievement will inspire many young girls to dream big,' President Murmu wrote on X.

Mixed 4x100m Relay Breaks National Record

The mixed 4x100m relay team of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Shanuvalli Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra secured bronze, clocking 41.06 seconds — breaking the national record of 41.35 seconds set at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone. Notably, a bronze medal accompanied by a national record signals genuine forward momentum for Indian sprinting in mixed relay formats.

'Warm congratulations to Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Shanuvalli Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur and Harita Bhadra on winning the Bronze Medal in the Mixed 4x100m Relay event at the Asian Games 2026. Your strong teamwork and high speed have done the nation proud. May you continue to inspire young athletes with your dedication and excellence,' President Murmu wrote on X.

Men's 4x400m Relay Claims Bronze

India's men's 4x400m relay team — Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil Saji, Jay Kumar, and Vishal Thennarasu — also returned with bronze, posting a season-best time of 3:01.61. Japan took gold in 3:00.75 and Qatar claimed silver in 3:00.93. President Murmu expressed hope that the podium finish would spur the athletes to pursue greater laurels for the nation.

Women's High Jump Bronze

President Murmu also extended congratulations to Pooja for her bronze-medal performance in the women's high jump at the Asian Games. 'Your impressive performance demonstrates your skill and determination. May you keep raising the bar and reach greater heights,' she wrote on X.

Broader Significance for Indian Athletics

This comes amid a sustained push by Indian athletics to close the gap with regional powerhouses in track-and-field events. The women's 4x400m gold, in particular, is a landmark — India had previously reached the podium in this event but never claimed the top spot at the Asian Games. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, relay performances of this calibre will be closely watched by national selectors and the Athletics Federation of India.