India's women's 4x400m relay squad seized gold with a blistering 3:29.69, besting Bahrain and China.
Kiran Pahal hit the track slowly, hand‑off landing in third. Poovamma Machettira surged, wrestled the lead from the start, and handed the baton to Prachi in the lead. Prachi kept the momentum, ensuring Vithya Ramraj arrived in a strong position.
Vithya, fresh off breaking PT Usha's 400m hurdles record, launched the final leg. Bahrain's Salwa Eid Nasser, starting last, chased hard but could not overtake the Indian quartet. The finish line saw India hold a razor‑thin 0.52‑second advantage over Bahrain.
This 3:29.69 triumph marks India's first athletics gold at the Games, a milestone that lifts the entire track squad. Vithya Ramraj, now the undisputed 400m hurdles champion, will carry this momentum into the final, where she aims to cement her record.
With the relay victory behind them, the Indian quartet now faces a new challenge: the 400m hurdles final, where Vithya will attempt to defend her record and push the national record further.