Daijiworld Media Network - Nagoya
Nagoya, Sep 29: Vithya Ramraj produced a strong finish to her Asian Games campaign as she anchored India to gold in the women's 4x400m relay, powering the quartet to victory in 3:29.69 on Tuesday.
India's quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya held their nerve in a closely contested final to finish ahead of Bahrain, who clocked 3:30.21, while China took bronze in 3:31.02.
The gold marked a fitting conclusion to a memorable Games for Vithya, who secured her third medal of the competition after winning silver and bronze in her other events.
Just a day earlier, she had rewritten the national record in the women's 400m hurdles, breaking a mark that had stood for decades.
India started the relay in lane six, with Kiran taking the opening leg. She handed over the baton in third position, leaving Poovamma with the task of closing the gap.
The experienced Poovamma responded with a strong second leg, moving India into contention at the front before handing over to Prachi, who had already won an individual bronze in the 400m.
Prachi kept India firmly in medal contention and ensured Vithya received the baton in a competitive position for the anchor leg.
The final lap then belonged to Vithya.
She quickly settled into her rhythm and began closing the gap at the front, making her move around the 200m mark. Bahrain's Salwa Eid Nasr, one of the strongest finishers in the field, launched a determined pursuit and steadily reduced the deficit.
Vithya, however, had done enough work early in the final leg to withstand the challenge. She maintained her composure through the closing stretch and crossed the line first, triggering celebrations in the Indian camp.
The victory also helped India improve on its silver-medal finish in the women's 4x400m relay at the previous edition of the Asian Games.
For Vithya, the relay gold capped an extraordinary three-medal haul. Her performance in the final added another chapter to a Games in which she had established herself as one of India's standout track athletes.
The quartet's victory also marked a significant moment for Indian athletics, with Kiran, Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya combining to turn a tightly fought final into a gold-medal finish for India.
Bahrain finished second in 3:30.21, just 0.52 seconds behind India, while China completed the podium with 3:31.02. Japan finished fourth in 3:31.44, followed by Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei.
For a relay team carrying India's strong tradition in the women's 4x400m event, the result provided a golden finish to the track programme at the Asian Games.