Vithya Ramraj Equals PT Usha's National Record In Women's 400m Hurdles

Usha, now the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), had set the National Record way back in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when she missed the bronze medal by a whisker.

Running in the first heat, the 24-year-old Vithya, who hails from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, finished first ahead of Jamal Aminat Oluwaseun Yusuf of Bahrain. The Indian runner got off to a slow start but made up for it later as she cruised to her personal best time of 55.42.

A few weeks back, Vithya had come close to breaking Usha's record when she clocked 55.43, missing equalling the record by 0.01 seconds. On Monday in Hangzhou, she managed to equal that time, clocking the second-best timing in the field behind Bahrain's Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya, who finished Heat 2 in 55.17. Bahrain's African import Adekoya will be the runner to beat in the final in which Vithya will be attempting to break Usha's record.