The 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games-bound Vithya Ramraj, on Monday, fell short of the 39-year-old women’s 400m hurdles national record by a mere 0.01s at the Indian Grand Prix 5 in Chandigarh.
The 24-year-old clocked an impressive 55.43s to win the event. This is the second-best timing recorded this season by an Asian athlete, only behind Bahrain’s Kemi Adekoya.
The national record in women’s 400m hurdles stands in the name of legendary athlete and current Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, at 55.42s.
Ramraj’s show comes just a day after she clocked a personal best 52.40s to win the women’s 400m sprint on Sunday.
Relay teams miss out on Asian Games mark
Meanwhile, the Indian 4x100m men’s and women’s relay teams failed to attain the Asian Games qualification standard.
While the men’s quartet of Harjit Singh, Amlan Borgohain, Amiya Mallick, and Siva Kumar clocked 39.24s to fall short by 0.24s, the women’s team comprising of Srabani Nanda, Nithya Gandhe, Vijaya Kumari, and Jyothi Yarraji clocked 44.66s to fall short by 0.16s.
On the other hand, men’s 3000m steeplechaser Mohammed Nur Hasan achieved the Asian Games qualifying standard as he registered a timing of 8:35.00s to win the event.
Veteran discus thrower Seema Punia also put up a decent show, recording a season best distance of 57.96m in a two-athlete field.
