Vithya Ramraj broke PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record while winning bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles at the Asian Games on September 28. She clocked 54.75 seconds, a personal best.

Usha’s record of 55.42 seconds had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Vithya bettered it by nearly seven-tenths of a second, according to IANS and ANI.

Gold went to the UAE’s Mariam Kareem in 54.31 seconds, a Games record. Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58 seconds. India’s Anu Raghavan finished fifth in 55.88 seconds, also a personal best.

Usha, now the Indian Olympic Association president, hailed Vithya’s run. The young hurdler said she did not know how to express her feelings after the race. Coaches say her hurdling technique has improved sharply over the past year.

The bronze adds to India’s growing medal tally in athletics. Vithya’s record-breaking run marks her as one of the brightest prospects for the next Olympic cycle.