Rajesh Ramesh Triumphs in Men's 400m at Indian Open 2026 Athletics Meet

Outstanding Performances at the Indian Open 400m 2026

Olympian Rajesh Ramesh showcased an exceptional performance, securing the men's 400m title during the Indian Open 400m 2026 athletics event at the LNCPE Stadium on Saturday. Vithya Ramraj also shone brightly, winning the women's race.

Rajesh Ramesh Enters Exclusive Sub-46s Club

As reported by Olympics.com, Rajesh Ramesh achieved victory with a remarkable personal best of 45.26 seconds. This accomplishment marks only the third time an Indian athlete has completed the 400m in under 46 seconds. TS Manu followed closely in second place with a time of 45.96 seconds, while Amoj Jacob secured third with a time of 45.99 seconds.

With this performance, Ramesh joins an elite group of Indian quarter-milers, including national record holder Vishal TK (45.12s) and Muhammed Anas (45.21s), as the only athletes from India to have recorded times below the 46-second mark.

Asian Games Qualification Achieved

All three athletes on the podium surpassed the Athletics Federation of India's qualifying standard of 45.97 seconds for the upcoming 2026 Asian Games, set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4. However, achieving this standard does not guarantee selection for the Indian team.

Vithya Ramraj Dominates Women's 400m Final

In the women's 400m final, Vithya Ramraj claimed victory with a time of 53.31 seconds. Vijayakumari GK finished in second place with a time of 53.55 seconds, while Olympian Machettira Raju Poovamma took third with a time of 53.61 seconds.

Ramraj, whose personal best is 52.25 seconds, achieved in 2024, led a strong field where all three medalists exceeded the Asian Games qualification mark of 53.72 seconds.

The women's 400m national record remains with Hima Das, who set a time of 50.79 seconds.