LUCKNOW: Securing consecutive gold medals in the national championships after being absent from athletics tracks for nearly one-and-a-half years due to injury has significantly boosted the confidence of young sprinter Rupal Chaudhary.

Having successfully qualified for the Asian Athletics Championship in May in South Africa and the World University Games in July at Berlin in Germany, Meerut’s Chaudhary completed the women’s 400m run in 52. 55 seconds to win the gold during the National Federation Senior Athletics Championship at Kochi on Tuesday.

This accomplishment was not a one-time feat, as she had previously secured gold at the 6th Indian Open 400m event in Thiruvananthapuram this March.

“It’s very uplifting to restart after an extended injury break and win successive gold medals in national championships. I aim to maintain this momentum in the Asian Championship as well as the World University Games,” stated Rupal, who convincingly outperformed Asian Games medallist Vithya Ramraj of Tamil Nadu at the Thiruvananthapuram event.

“I always strategize for each race individually, and determining how to begin and when to accelerate is always beneficial for me,” Rupal remarked on Wednesday after completing her morning session at the national camp in Thiruvananthapuram.

“My schedule is packed with events this year, and I am also targeting a podium finish at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou this May and at the Continental Tour as well,” she mentioned.

She, on the other hand, expressed that her ultimate goal is to achieve a podium finish at the World Championship this September, but she is not rushing as the qualifying standards are quite stringent (50 seconds) and she is taking small, measured steps to reach that objective.

“I can achieve the 50 seconds time, but that would be a risky endeavor at the moment as I would slow down afterward, so I am not in a hurry and am proceeding to implement my plans in small increments,” Rupal stated.

She further mentioned that even while undergoing rehabilitation, she remained confident about making a comeback. “It was an unexpected incident when I got injured while trying to protect myself from a cricket ball at the Meerut stadium, and even during my rehab in Mumbai, I didn’t lose hope, but it took almost one-and-a-half years,” Rupal remarked, adding, “But I am glad to be back in action and achieving good results for my efforts. ”

Rupal, who is receiving training alongside male sprinters at the national camp under the guidance of Jamaican Jason Dawson, noted that her running has improved significantly while practicing with male athletes.

“Lalit Bhanot Sir placed me in training with male athletes under Dawson’s supervision and it’s benefiting me a lot in enhancing my timings,” she explained.

During the 2022 World U-20 Athletics in Cali, Colombia, Rupal earned a silver in the 400m relay event before securing an individual bronze in the 400m, and those medals significantly changed her life.

“Those medals also helped me realize my true potential. As a first-timer, I felt a bit anxious, but I didn't focus on the other athletes globally; I just aimed for a podium finish in the relay,” she shared.

Prior to her injury, Rupal had qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but she was unable to participate due to falling ill. This truly represented a significant setback to her aspiration of winning an Olympic medal, especially after her success with two medals at the Under-20 Worlds in 2022.

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