Parul Chaudhary at SAI, Bengaluru
A DSP in the UP Police, Parul is working hard to defend her Asian Games gold medals in the 3,000m steeplechase and 5,000m while looking to make a mark in the 1,500m as well at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. Lucknow: With an aim to repeat her golden double feat at the Asian Games, ace long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary is undergoing intensive training at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
In the 1,500m too, runners from Japan and Bahrain are very strong and have excellent timings. Asked whether defending her medals from the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games creates pressure, Parul said she is focused on her performance rather than expectations. “I do not take pressure at all, but since I won a gold and silver medal in the 5,000m and steeplechase at the last Hangzhou Asian Games, I want to repeat that this year with a strong timing. She added that she trained for short periods in the United States under coach Scott Simmons in 2022, 2023 and 2024, but her current preparation is being done in India under long-distance coach Kalyan Chaudhuri .
Because top steeplechase runners will also compete in that event, in the 3,000m steeplechase, two athletes are world champions, and the 5,000m will also be very tough. Because the Commonwealth Games was a major tournament for me, and I feel my 3,000m steeplechase timing was my poorest in a major competition, i was upset. Because i am competing in three events, this time I want to win three medals.
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Speaking about the challenge ahead, Parul said the competition in Japan is expected to be much tougher than before. But let’s see how the race unfolds on the day and how I perform,” she said. My training had gone very well, and I wanted to give my best, but the weather conditions affected me,” said Parul, who hails from Iklauta village in Meerut. My preparation is aimed at winning medals in all three,” she said. So now I am training under long-distance coach Kalyan Chaudhuri Sir,” she said.
“This time the Asian Games will be very tough and competitive. “I believe athletes learn more from defeat than from victory. “The mistakes I made at the Commonwealth Games, I will not repeat at the Asian Games. I am working on my weaknesses. My water jumps were not good at all at the Commonwealth Games, and I am now polishing my hurdling,” she added. She has made specific changes to her training after the Commonwealth Games, with greater focus on water jumps, hurdling technique, strength and speed endurance. “After training in the US, we felt India’s weather is harsher, and since the Asian Games will be in Japan, we decided it would be better for me to train in Indian conditions. Download the TOI App.