Anjali, Deeksha, Krishan Clinch Gold At National Inter-State Athletics C’ships

Indian quarter-miler Anjali Devi emerged victorious at the National Inter State Athletics Championships, securing her first gold medal in the 400m event after a four-year hiatus.

Anjali triumphed with a new personal best time and broke the Asian Games qualification mark set by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).

In the heats, semifinals, and finals, she recorded timings of 52.89s, 51.48s, and 52.03s, respectively.

Anjali had previously risen to prominence as a leading quarter-miler in the country when she unexpectedly clinched gold at the 2019 Open Nationals, clocking in at 51.79s.

Now, after years of relative obscurity, she returned to the event at the same venue and secured another gold medal.

In 2019, Anjali was considered a strong contender for the Indian Olympic team after winning gold in the 400m event at the Inter State Championships in Lucknow with a season-best time of 51.53s.

However, her hopes were dashed due to a quad muscle tear during a training session prior to the 2021 Federation Cup.

Following surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process, Anjali made a comeback at the 2022 All India Inter-Railway Championships, participating in the 200m event with a time of 23.95s.

The recent Inter State Championships marked her return to major competition after nearly three years.

Expressing her joy, Anjali revealed that she had faced moments of depression due to recurring injuries before competitions. However, her unwavering belief in herself and her body allowed her to overcome these setbacks.

Looking ahead, Anjali has set her sights on the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games, aiming to maintain her fitness and build on her recent success.

She believes she can continue to improve and has a target of achieving a time of 49.90s in the 400m event, provided she can sustain her training without any disruptions.

K.M. Deeksha emerged victorious in the 1500m event at the National Inter-State Athletics Championships, defeating the National record holder Harmilan Bains by 2.43 seconds.

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Deeksha executed a well-planned tactical race, finishing with a personal best time of 4:06.07. Her victory was attributed to the strategic planning of her coach, Shivkumar Prasad.

Meanwhile, Krishan Kumar clinched a remarkable hat-trick of gold medals in the 800m event, recording a time of 1:46.17. These outstanding performances secured their positions as champions in their respective events at the championship.