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Gulveer Singh, Vithya Ramraj complete medal hat-tricks as India’s track stars make Asian Games history

Gulveer Singh and Vithya Ramraj won three medals each at Asian Games 2026, joining an elite list with historic hat-tricks.

Updated on: Sep 29, 2026, 19:49:20 IST
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India has had a decent run at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, so far. The contingent has clinched a total of 52 medals till now and currently stands at 10th position in the medal charts with 6 golds, 21 silvers and 25 bronzes. However, among the many athletes who won laurels for India, two names in particular stand out - Gulveer Singh and Vithya Ramraj. The duo won three medals each. Together, their six-medal haul represented one of the most statistically impressive showings by Indian track athletes at a single Asian Games edition.

Gulveer Singh emulates PT Usha feat after 40 years

Gulveer Singh and Vithya Ramraj have won three medals each at Asian Games 2026 (PTI)
Gulveer Singh and Vithya Ramraj have won three medals each at Asian Games 2026 (PTI)

Gulveer Singh's campaign was defined by an extraordinary test of capability across three distinctly demanding track disciplines: the 10,000m, the 1,500m, and the 5,000m

Deep Dive

How did Gulveer Singh perform across different track events at the Asian Games 2026?

Gulveer Singh secured a silver medal in the 10,000m, a personal-best silver in the 1500m, and a bronze in the 5000m, becoming the first Indian track athlete since P.T. Usha to win three individual medals at a single Asian Games.

What achievements did Vithya Ramraj accomplish at the Asian Games 2026?

Vithya Ramraj won three medals, including a gold in the women's 4x400m relay, a silver in the mixed 4x400m relay, and a bronze in the women's 400m hurdles, where she also broke P.T. Usha's long-standing national record.

What significance does Vithya Ramraj's breaking of PT Usha's national record hold?

Vithya Ramraj's achievement is significant as it marks the first time in 42 years that Usha's 400m hurdles record was surpassed, showcasing the progress in Indian athletics and inspiring future generations of athletes.
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In the 10,000m final, Gulveer stayed among the lead runners but outside the top three through 25 laps. However, he unleashed a strong closing burst to claim the silver medal with a time of 28:29.38, finishing just two seconds behind Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew, who won gold.

In the men's 1500m, Gulveer Singh adapted quickly to a faster pace, as he clocked a personal-best time of 3:36.72 to secure his second silver medal of the Asian Games 2026.

Gulveer concluded his memorable run at Aichi-Nagoya in the men's 5000m final as he battled through fatigue to capture the bronze medal with a time of 13:32.75.

He is also only the second Indian male athlete in history to achieve three track medals at a single Asian Games, following Lavy Pinto's triple medal effort at the inaugural 1951 New Delhi Games.ALSO READ: From hospital bed to podium finish: Who is Neeru Dhanda, India's first individual gold medallist of Asian Games 2026?

Vithya Ramraj wins medals of all three colours

Vithya Ramraj had an Asian Games 2026 to remember as she won all three medal colours - gold, silver and bronze - across the three events she took part in.

She won only one individual medal in the women's 400m hurdles. In the final, she won the bronze with a time of 54.75 seconds. In doing so, she broke the long-standing national record of 55.42 seconds set by the legendary P.T. Usha at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. She became the first Indian woman to run under the 55-second mark.

Vithya Ramraj anchored the Indian mixed 4x400m relay squad to a silver medal in a total time of 3:14.46.

However, her crowning achievement came in the women's 4x400m relay event. In the decisive leg of the final, she ran with all her heart, as he ran past all her opponents to seal the gold medal for India with a time of 3:29.69. This was India's first athletics gold of the Asian Games 2026 so far. Now.

Vithya Ramraj won a hat-trick of medals for the second Asian Games running. In the 2022 event in Hangzhou, she won two silvers and a bronze medal.

 
Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
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