Kiran Pahal credited the collective effort of India’s women’s 4x400m relay quartet for turning individual performances into a gold-medal success as the team scripted history at the Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday.
Kiran, who ran the opening leg, teamed up with M.R. Poovamma, Prachi Choudhary and Vithya Ramraj to clock 3:29.69 and win gold. Bahrain finished second in 3:30.21, while China secured bronze in 3:31.02.
Kiran said the quartet had set its sights on gold even before the final.
“We had decided from yesterday itself that we only wanted to win gold. That was the only thing on our minds. I was given the starting baton, so there was a responsibility on my shoulders. I had decided that I would perform well, and I did. I gave my 100 per cent, but the team together turned it into 200 per cent,” she said.
Persistent rain made the track wet during the final, but Kiran said the conditions did not trouble the Indian quartet significantly because of their previous training experience.
“We did not face too much difficulty because the Athletics Federation of India had organised a camp for us in Poland for quite some time, where it used to rain. We became accustomed to running in the rain, so it was not a major problem for us,” she said.
Kiran, the youngest of her siblings, hails from Gummad village in Haryana’s Sonipat district. She credited her family and the Athletics Federation of India for supporting her journey.
“I am from Gummad village in Sonipat district of Haryana. I have my mother, elder brother, and elder sister in my family, and I am the youngest among the siblings. I have received a lot of support from my family. The most support came from the Athletics Federation of India, without which I would not have reached where I am today. I would also like to thank the government,” she said.
The 25-year-old dedicated the gold medal to her family, federation and government while recalling her father’s dream of seeing her win an international gold medal.
“I dedicate this medal to my federation, the government, my family and my father, because it was my father’s dream that I should win an international gold medal. He must be feeling very proud today. I am also very proud of this achievement, and the entire country is proud,” Kiran said.
She also highlighted the support Indian athletes receive through training camps, competitive opportunities and financial assistance.
“We get a lot of facilities at the camps and opportunities to compete in many competitions. We try to give our best from competition to competition. We are also receiving a lot of financial support, which is very important. We are also made mentally stronger,” she said.
The victory gave India its first Asian Games gold in the women’s 4x400m relay and improved on the silver-medal finish from the previous edition.