Chennai, October 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth met Tamil Nadu athlete Vithya Ramaraj in person and congratulated her on her outstanding performance at the recently concluded Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.
Vithya made the country proud by winning three medals at the Games — a gold, silver and bronze.
Her trainer Nehpal Singh and Chennai District Masters Athletic Association president M. Shenbagamoorthy were also present during the meeting, sources said.
Rajinikanth congratulated the athlete on her remarkable achievements and praised her contribution to India’s success at the continental sporting event.
The meeting came a day after actor Dhanush also met Vithya and congratulated her on her impressive performances at the Asian Games.
Vithya’s campaign in Nagoya was particularly significant as she broke a 42-year-old national record previously held by legendary Indian athlete P.T. Usha.
Competing in the women’s 400m hurdles, Vithya clocked a personal best of 54.75 seconds to win bronze. Her timing bettered Usha’s previous national record of 55.42 seconds by 0.67 seconds. Usha had set the earlier mark at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she finished fourth in the final.
Vithya also played a key role in India’s gold medal-winning women’s 4x400m relay team.
India’s quartet of Kiran Pahal, M.R. Poovamma, Prachi and Vithya finished ahead of Bahrain, which clocked 3:30.21, while China took bronze with a time of 3:31.02.
Anchoring the Indian team in the relay final, Vithya produced a powerful final leg and made her decisive move around the 200m mark, helping India secure the gold.
The relay victory completed a memorable Asian Games campaign for Vithya, who returned from Nagoya with three medals.
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