Mumbai: Parul Chaudhary, India’s top female middle distance runner, has set the tone for the year. Starting her season last Saturday at the Shanghai Diamond League, Parul clocked 9:12.84 in the 3000m steeplechase to finish a creditable 7th in a field comprising Olympic and world champions.
The timing was just shy of her own national record (9:12.46) and well below AFI’s qualifying standard for the Commonwealth Games (9:27.41). Parul is thus giving the Federation Cup starting on Friday a miss.
“I’m pretty happy with the timing,” Parul told HT. “This was a positive start to the season.”
The season is particularly significant for her. This is not only because of what she has to defend at the Asian Games, where she made headlines in Hangzhou three years ago by winning gold (5,000m) and silver (3000m steeplechase) for the country, but also because of what she hopes to achieve before that.
Parul has never competed at the CWG, which provides a far greater test in track and field from an Indian viewpoint compared to the continental Games. This is especially the case in her primary steeplechase event, in which athletes from Africa usually dominate. Peruth Chemutai, who won the Shanghai DL and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold, is a 2022 Birmingham CWG bronze medallist.
It’s in such a quality CWG field that Avinash Sable, India’s top male steeplechaser, underlined his world-level credentials by winning silver in Birmingham. Glasgow in July-August is a test for Parul, a 2023 World Championships finalist, to try and do the same.
“I’ve competed with a lot of the runners who are set to take part at the CWG, be it at the World Championships or other competitions,” said Parul. “I expect tough competition even at the CWG. But I have the belief that if I focus on giving my best, I can do some good things there. I will have to be at my absolute best. And for that, I’m working hard in trying to deliver my best at the CWG.”
While the Meerut-born athlete will focus on steeplechase for the CWG, she will double up for the 5,000m again at the Asian Games in September-October. From her gold-silver double at the Asian Games of 2023, Parul had to be content with two silver medals in the same events at the Asian Championships of 2025.
Parul reckons competition at the Asian level is rising, especially from runners of countries like Kazakhstan, Japan and Bahrain.
“But I am confident in my own abilities,” she said. “I hope to put in a good performance in both the events again at the Asian Games. Compared to last time, I am more experienced now, and I have seen little improvements in almost every aspect of my skills.”
The short turnaround between the two multi-sport events notwithstanding, Parul said she will look to compete in a few meets around them with the objective of peaking at both Games.
“The main priorities for this year are the CWG and Asian Games. But I’ll look to compete in a few events before and around that to ensure that I turn up at my best and peak towards my best timings at those two meets.”
Parul has been camping at SAI Bengaluru during her off-season, which also comprised high-altitude training in Ooty to work on her endurance. Last season, she competed in just three events. Physical issues prevented her from competing more. Parul, who often goes to IIS Bellary for strength training and recovery, insisted she is injury-free now.
“The plan is to compete a lot more this season,” she said. “I’m feeling fit and raring to go for the season ahead.”
