PrepMaticCurrent affairs · September 2026
Vithya Ramraj wins three medals at the Asian Games and breaks a 42-year-old record
Tamil Nadu athlete Vithya Ramraj won three medals at the 20th Asian Games in Japan: gold in the women's 4x400 m relay, silver in the mixed 4x400 m relay and bronze in the women's 400 m hurdles. In the hurdles she also set a new national record, breaking one that P.T. Usha set in 1984.
The three medals
| Date of state release | Event | Medal | Tamil Nadu incentive announced |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 September 2026 | Mixed 4x400 m relay (with Vishal T.K.) | Silver | ₹50 lakh each |
| 28 September 2026 | Women's 400 m hurdles | Bronze | ₹30 lakh |
| 29 September 2026 | Women's 4x400 m relay | Gold | ₹75 lakh |
The Chief Minister's messages describe the 29 September gold as her third medal at these Games. The release on the hurdles says her new mark ended a national record that had stood for 42 years since 1984. Usha set that record at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In the mixed relay two of the four runners, Vithya Ramraj and Vishal T.K., are from Tamil Nadu, and both receive funding under the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority's ELITE Sportsperson Scheme.
Why it matters for TNPSC
Sports is not a named unit in the Group 4 syllabus, so this ranks below polity, economy and Tamil Nadu schemes in priority. It is still worth one line in your notes: the athlete, the event, the medal and the record. The state's cash awards are an example of government support for sport. The TNPSC current affairs guide explains how to file and revise such items.
Practice questions
Question 1. Whose 1984 national record in the women's 400 m hurdles did Vithya Ramraj break?
- A. Anju Bobby George
- B. P.T. Usha
- C. M.L. Valsamma
- D. Shiny Wilson
Question 2. Which country hosted the 20th Asian Games, where Vithya Ramraj won her medals?
- A. China
- B. South Korea
- C. Japan
- D. Qatar
Answers
- B. The state release says P.T. Usha's 1984 national record was broken after 42 years.
- C. The releases say the 20th Asian Games are being held in Japan.
Source
- Government of Tamil Nadu, Press Release No. 752, 28 September 2026 (Tamil)
- Government of Tamil Nadu, Press Release No. 759, 29 September 2026 (Tamil)
- Government of Tamil Nadu, Press Release No. 738, 24 September 2026 (Tamil)
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