Asian Games 2026: India wins gold in women’s 4x400m relay, opens athletics account at Nagoya

India secured its first athletics gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Tuesday as the quartet of Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi and Vithya Ramraj delivered a strong performance in the women’s 4x400m relay.

The Indian team clocked 3:29.69 to finish at the top of the podium in the highly competitive final. Bahrain took the silver medal, while China secured bronze.

The victory marked a significant moment for India’s track and field campaign at the continental sporting extravaganza, with the women’s relay team producing a composed performance under pressure to claim the country’s first athletics gold of the Games.

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India dominates relay final

The Indian quartet maintained its pace throughout the race and finished ahead of Bahrain and China to secure the gold. The 3:29.69 timing was enough to put India at the top of the standings and add another major international achievement to the country’s athletics campaign.

Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi and Vithya Ramraj combined effectively across the four legs, with the team maintaining its position through the decisive stages of the race.

The gold also adds to India’s growing presence in relay events at the Asian level. The performance in Nagoya underlined the depth of the country’s women’s 400m talent and the importance of relay events in India’s athletics programme.

A landmark athletics gold for India

The women’s 4x400m relay triumph came amid a productive day for Indian athletics at the 2026 Asian Games. However, the relay gold stood out as the country’s first top-podium finish in track and field at the ongoing Games.

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India also registered podium finishes in several other athletics events, but the women’s 4x400m relay provided the biggest success of the day by securing gold.

The result is particularly significant for the four-member team, which successfully combined individual speed, baton exchanges and tactical discipline to complete the race in 3:29.69.

With the victory, Kiran Pahal, Poovamma Machettira, Prachi and Vithya Ramraj have added an Asian Games gold medal to their international records and given India a major boost in its athletics campaign in Nagoya.