Asian Games 2026: India wins relay bronze in men's 4x400m, closes athletics campaign
Synopsis
India turned their final relay session at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya into a medal sweep — women's gold in the 4x400m, and bronze in both the men's 4x400m and mixed 4x100m. Vithya Ramraj's anchor leg sealed the women's title and completed a personal three-medal Games, while the mixed quartet set a new national record in the process.
Key Takeaways
India claimed three relay medals on 29 September at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya .
The women's 4x400m team of Kiran Pahal , M.R.
Poovamma , Prachi , and Vithya Ramraj won gold in 3:29.69 .
Vithya Ramraj finished the Games with three medals — gold, silver, and bronze.
The men's 4x400m quartet of Dharamveer Choudhary , Manu Theekkinil , Jay Kumar , and Vishal Thennarasu took bronze in 3:01.61 .
The mixed 4x100m relay team clocked 41.06 seconds for bronze, breaking the National Record of 41.35 set at World Relays 2026.
Japan won men's relay gold ( 3:00.75 ); China took mixed relay gold ( 40.78s ).
India closed their athletics campaign at the Asian Games 2026 on a high note on Tuesday, 29 September, claiming a bronze medal in the men's 4x400m relay at the Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya. The Indian quartet clocked 3:01.61, finishing third in what proved to be a richly rewarding final relay session for the country.
How the Men's Relay Unfolded
Dharamveer Choudhary opened the race with a composed start, keeping India firmly in medal contention before handing off to Manu Theekkinil. Manu encountered traffic on the second leg, was forced wide around the field, and surrendered a position — leaving India in fourth when Jay Kumar took the baton.
Jay delivered a spirited third leg, hauling India back into medal contention and briefly thrusting the team into second place behind Japan. However, a difficult final exchange saw India slip back to fourth, leaving the pressure squarely on anchor Vishal Thennarasu. Vishal responded with a strong closing burst, making up the deficit to bring India home in third.
Japan claimed gold in 3:00.75, while Qatar took silver in 3:00.93. India finished 0.86 seconds behind the champions. Notably, India had entered the final as the fastest team on seasonal form, posting a season-best 3:00.32 — the quickest among all finalists — but Japan's own season-best of 3:00.19 proved the sharper edge on the day.
Women's 4x400m Team Claims Gold
Earlier on the same evening, India's women produced a golden performance in the 4x400m relay. The quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi, and Vithya Ramraj combined to win in 3:29.69, well clear of Bahrain (3:30.21) and China (3:31.02).
Anchor Vithya Ramraj delivered a commanding final leg to seal the title, capping a remarkable individual campaign. The relay gold was her third medal at these Games, following a silver and a bronze from her individual events — a haul that underlines her status as one of India's foremost track athletes.
Mixed 4x100m Relay Sets New National Record
India also secured bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay earlier on Tuesday, with Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra clocking 41.06 seconds. The performance was doubly significant: the quartet also broke the previous National Record of 41.35 seconds, which had been set at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone.
China took gold in the mixed relay with 40.78 seconds, and Thailand finished second in 40.87 seconds.
A Fitting Conclusion to India's Athletics Campaign
Tuesday's relay haul — one gold, two bronzes — brought the curtain down on India's track-and-field programme at the Asian Games 2026 in a manner that reflected the programme's growing depth. Three medals across three relay disciplines in a single session speaks to improved team cohesion and athlete availability at the highest level. With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and qualification cycles on the horizon, performances like Vithya's multi-medal campaign and the mixed relay's national record serve as meaningful benchmarks for Indian athletics.
Point of View
Male, female, and mixed, reflects better training structures and athlete availability. Vithya Ramraj's three-medal campaign deserves particular scrutiny as a case study: her ability to perform across individual and relay formats at an Asian Games suggests India has at least one athlete capable of competing at the Olympic level across multiple disciplines. The harder question is whether this relay momentum can be sustained into the Olympic qualification cycle, where Japan, China, and the Gulf states will be even better resourced.
NationPress
29 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India perform in the men's 4x400m relay at Asian Games 2026?
India finished third in the men's 4x400m relay at the Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, clocking 3:01.61. The quartet of Dharamveer Choudhary, Manu Theekkinil, Jay Kumar, and Vishal Thennarasu secured bronze, with Japan winning gold in 3:00.75 and Qatar taking silver in 3:00.93.
Who ran the anchor leg for India's women's 4x400m gold medal team?
Vithya Ramraj anchored the Indian women's 4x400m relay team to gold at the Asian Games 2026, with the squad clocking 3:29.69. The gold was her third medal of the Games, after earlier winning silver and bronze in her individual events.
Did India set a national record at the Asian Games 2026 relay events?
Yes. The Indian mixed 4x100m relay team of Gurindervir Singh, Sneha Sathyanarayana, Animesh Kujur, and Harita Bhadra clocked 41.06 seconds to win bronze and break the previous national record of 41.35 seconds, which had been set at the World Relays 2026 in Gaborone.
Why did India win bronze instead of gold in the men's 4x400m relay despite having the best season time?
India entered the men's 4x400m final with the fastest season-best time of 3:00.32, but execution issues — including Manu Theekkinil being forced wide on his leg and a difficult final exchange — left India in fourth at the last baton pass. Anchor Vishal Thennarasu recovered to third, but Japan, whose season-best was 3:00.19, ran a more controlled race to win gold in 3:00.75.
How many athletics medals did India win on the final relay day at Asian Games 2026?
India won three medals on 29 September at the Asian Games 2026: gold in the women's 4x400m relay, bronze in the men's 4x400m relay, and bronze in the mixed 4x100m relay, rounding off their track-and-field programme in Nagoya.
