Nagoya, Sep 24 (IANS) The Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed India’s mixed 4x400m relay team for an “exceptional performance” after the quartet clinched the silver medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Thursday.

The Indian quartet of Machettira Poovamma Raju, Vishal Thennarasu, Vithya Ramraj and Thekkinalil Manu timed 3:14.46 to finish second in a closely fought final at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium

“An exceptional performance by our Mixed 4x400m Relay team! Congratulations to Manu TS, Poovamma MR, Vishal TK and Vithya Ramraj on winning the Silver medal at the Asian Games. Their speed, coordination and determination made for an exciting race and a proud moment for Indian athletics. May they continue to scale greater heights,” PMO posted on X.

Bahrain took the gold in a Games record time of 3:12.87, with Vietnam narrowly missing out on silver after finishing in 3:14.54. Japan finished fourth in 3:15.52.

India’s 0.08-second advantage over Vietnam was the difference as the quartet held its nerve in a thrilling battle for the podium.

The silver extended India’s good run in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games. India had won gold in the event at Jakarta 2018 before settling for silver at Hangzhou 2023.

Vishal had earlier won gold in the mixed 4x400m relay and silver in the men’s 4x400m relay at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, where he also finished fourth in the individual 400m.

Vithya, another key member of India’s relay programme, has represented the country at the Olympic Games, including in the 4x400m relay at Paris 2024. She won silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the 2022 Asian Games and bronze in the 400m hurdles at the 2023 Asian Games.

With another silver in Nagoya, India have now won a medal in the mixed 4x400m relay in three successive Asian Games, underscoring the quartet’s consistent performance on the continental stage.

--IANS

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