Vithya ran, Nithya prayed: The twin bond behind India’s new 400m hurdles record

Chennai: Far away from Aichi-Nagoya, at a gym in Chennai, Nithya Ramraj was too scared to watch Monday’s women’s 400m hurdles at the Asian Games live. She had her eyes tightly shut, either in prayer, pure fear or both.It was only when Nithya’s friends at the gym informed her that Vithya Ramraj had shattered the national record and won bronze that her twin sister opened her eyes.Asian Games Full Coverage | Schedule | Medal TallyVithya dedicated breaking PT Usha’s 42-year-old record to the person who had been rooting for her all along. For the Ramraj twins, moments like these are never individual ones to celebrate. Over the years, they have been each other’s strength, offering support and a helping hand whenever needed.Nithya, a 100m hurdler, was in the Chennai gym and not in Aichi-Nagoya because she is recovering from an ankle injury.“We knew she would break the national record, but we were waiting to see when it would happen. Vithya always calls me before and after she finishes a race. I just tell her to focus on the race and that we will be rewarded for the hard work. After I came to know that I would miss the Asian Games, she told me not to worry and said, ‘I will do double of what you would have done had you been part of the Asian Games.’ That is why she dedicated the medal to me,” Nithya told TOI on Tuesday.Their support for each other has found tangible measure. In 2021, after Nithya secured a job at Income Tax, she supported Vithya financially. Last year, the roles were reversed as Vithya stepped in to take care of Nithya and the family’s needs.Once Vithya equalled Usha’s record in 2023, there were always questions about when she would break it.“I have seen her struggles closely over the past three years, and that is why I was confident she would break the national record. I tell her that God has given her wings, and I ask her to lend them to me so that I can also run as fast as her. Unlike me, she is a very dedicated athlete,” said Nithya.While Vithya and Nithya chase their dreams on the track, their mother quietly misses having her daughters around.“It has been almost a year since Vithya last came home. Once we get married, we cannot spend as much time with our parents, and with the tight training schedule, we hardly get to go home now,” said Nithya.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.