Vithya Ramraj: From Trucker's Daughter to National Hurdles Record Holder

Before the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Vithya Ramraj was a relatively unknown name in Indian athletics. However, the 26-year-old from Coimbatore gained widespread attention after equalling PT Usha’s long-standing national record of 55.42 seconds in women’s 400m hurdles, marking a significant milestone in her career. Coming from a modest background, with Vithya’s father a truck driver, her journey has had its share of struggles. Her mother enrolled her and her twin sister, Nithya, a 110m hurdler, in the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) hostel in Erode. Having no prior knowledge of which sport to choose, Vithya’s mother simply picked athletics, and the script unfolded from there.“At a parent-teacher meeting, my PE teacher suggested sports for us. My mother chose athletics since it offered more visibility than team games. The sports hostel also helped, as my family couldn’t afford the expenses,” says Vithya, who also competed in the Paris Olympics last year.After finishing school, Vithya pursued a BBA degree under the sports quota in Erode and later joined the national camp in NIS Patiala in 2018. However, she did not see much improvement in her performance and moved to Chennai in 2022 to seek better opportunities.In Patiala, I didn’t get personal training, struggled with the food, and didn’t know Hindi. While preparing for the Tokyo Olympic trials, I got Covid and later underwent an appendicitis surgery. I had to leave camp and return home, and that’s when my parents asked me to quit, finish my degree, and find a job,” says Vithya.But Vithya did not give up. Nithya, training under coach Nehpal Singh Rathore, asked him to take Vithya on as well. Under his guidance, Vithya equalled the national record. Till 2022, she focused mainly on the 400m flat, though she had tried hurdles for a year. Many advised her to stick to the 400m to secure a relay spot, but when she told Nehpal about her hurdles stint, he suggested trying both events and even breaking PT Usha’s record in the 400m hurdles. Vithya and Nithya also became the first twins to represent the country at the Asian Games. Though she couldn’t break the record, Vithya equalled the national mark and won three medals at the Asian Games. “The same villagers who once questioned our parents about sending us to Chennai for training are now celebrating us,” says Vithya. “The village chief, panchayat officials, and police officers came to our house to felicitate us. The Tamil Nadu govt supported me. The Asiad medal changed everything. After 15 years of struggle, it was Nehpal sir who made us believe.”Now all eyes are on the crucial year ahead with the Commonwealth and Asian Games coming up.