HANGZHOU: Twin sisters Nithya and Vithya Ramraj, whose father once plied an auto-rickshaw in the lanes of Coimbatore to support his family, are getting noticed for their performances on the track. The lookalike siblings - Nithya is a minute older - have now created history by becoming the first twins to represent India in athletics at the Asian Games here.
While Nithya will compete in the women's 100m hurdles, Vithya will be at the starting blocks for the 400m hurdles race. Of the two, Vithya is now in the spotlight, chasing the long-standing national record of PT Usha.
"Both Nithya and I are really happy that we are competing together at the Asian Games. It was always a dream to go to an international competition with my sister. That is fulfilled now," Vithya said.
Daughters of Ramraj and Meena, a home-maker, the Coimbatore-born sisters grew up studying in a local government school till 2014. They moved to Chennai after the pandemic. "My mother had an interest in sports, so she made me and Nithya take up sports. After winning a medal in the 400m at the 2014, it was a long struggle. Then I came back with two medals in the 2018 South Zone meet. Following a 5th place finish in the Nationals, I was selected in the camp," Vithya told TOI, recalling the early struggle.
"During the Covid-19 period, I tested positive for the virus and it was another long period of struggle. But I did all the hard work again with the help of my coach Nehpal Singh Rathore and bagged the gold in 400m hurdles at the 2021 Federation Cup. Next, I bagged a double at the Open Nationals and that landed me a job with the Railways," said Vithya, a senior clerk at the Palakkad Division. Nithya has joined the Income Tax department in Chennai and is now posted in Chennai as a multi-tasking staff.
"I won gold in all the competitions in the 400m hurdles. The Athletics Federation of India helped me do my own workouts while in the camp. I would also get workouts online from my coach Rathore," Vithya said. "Rathore started training athletes in Chennai and Nithya was among his first students. My coach and all his students are like friends. He is only 25 years old but has deep interest and knowledge in athletics," she added.
In action:
Nithya Ramraj - 100m hurdles - R1 (6.45 am, Saturday), Final (6.45 pm, Sunday).
Vithya Ramraj - 400m hurdles - R1 (8.10 am, Monday), Final (4.50 pm, Tuesday).
