Indian Women's 4x400m Relay Team Celebrates Historic Gold at Asian Games 2026
Warm Welcome for Gold Medallists at Delhi Airport
The atmosphere was electric as Kiran Pahal, Prachi Choudhary, and MR Poovamma, members of India's women's 4x400m relay team, returned to Delhi Airport. They were greeted with garlands, enthusiastic cheers, and heartfelt hugs from family and supporters, celebrating their remarkable achievement at the Asian Games 2026.
This quartet, which also included Vithya Ramraj, secured India's first athletics gold medal of the Asian Games 2026 by finishing the women's 4x400m relay final in a time of 3:29.69. Bahrain took home the silver medal with a time of 3:30.21, while China claimed the bronze with a time of 3:31.02. For both Prachi and Vithya, this gold medal was their second at the Games, as Prachi had previously earned a bronze in the women's 400m event and Vithya in the women's 400m hurdles.
Gold Medallists Reflect on Their Achievement and Future Aspirations
Upon their return from Japan, Kiran Pahal shared her emotions, stating that hearing the national anthem after their victory filled the team with pride. She dedicated the medal to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), the government, her family, coach, and the entire nation. "It feels incredible when the national anthem plays, especially since we hadn't won a medal before this. I dedicate this medal to everyone who supported us," she expressed.
Prachi Choudhary expressed her joy over the relay team's success, stating their next goal is to secure gold at the World Championships. "I feel so happy, truly overjoyed, especially since our team has won its first gold medal. Our next target is to win gold at the World Championships," she said.
Poovamma MR also shared her pride in winning gold, emphasizing the significance of this achievement for Indian athletics. She thanked her family, the Athletics Federation of India, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and both central and state governments for their unwavering support. "I am feeling very proud because in athletics there was no gold medal, so we wanted to win this medal very badly and hear the national anthem. I am thankful to everyone who helped me reach this level," she remarked.