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Journalism of Courage
Training partners Preethi Pal and Simran Sharma had a day to remember as they won individual medals in their respective events as the World Para Athletics Championships concluded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.
Preethi, who had won two bronze medals at last year’s Paris Paralympics, clinched a silver in the women’s 100m T35 race clocking 14.33 seconds, while Simran finished second in the women’s 200m T12 event in 24.46 seconds.
Both athletes share the same coach, Gajendra Singh, Simran’s husband, which added to their joy.
The double success didn’t come without their share of drama. The 100m T35 final was re-run due to double gun shot, while Simran’s medal was upgraded after a foul by the athlete who initially finished second.
“It was very difficult. It felt like I would not be able to run. At one point, I thought, I am going home and we are not running it. After reviews and replays, we were told that we had to re-run the final,” Preethi told The Indian Express. “Simran has been a role model for me and what’s better for both of us to win medals for India today.”
In Delhi, Preethi ran in a total of four races and Simran six.
With both of them training under Singh, they often discuss their running tactics as well as spend time on strength and endurance training.
“While my event sees me running with a guide, Preethi often watches me run. If we do well in 100m then obviously it will help us in 200m and vice versa,” Simran told The Indian Express. They are the only two athletes in the Indian contingent to win two medals each.
Preethi’s family, including her parents and grandfather Rishi Pal, had come from their native village Hashimpur in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
At Paris, Preethi had won the bronze medal in the 200m final too, where she clocked a personal best timing of 30.01 seconds to become the first Indian woman to win two Paralympics medals in track and field.
“Post Paris Paralympics, I have worked on the endurance levels needed for the 100m events, and it paid dividends in the re-run.,” shared Preethi.
Simran ran her personal best timing in the 200m final to finish third before second-placed Alejandra Lopez of Venezuela was disqualified for breaking the pull rule. Simran, who had won the 200m at the last Worlds at Kobe with a timing of 24.95 seconds, came behind gold medallist Clara Da Silva of Brazil. “I set the Asian record as well as a personal best. To improve from 24.75 seconds to 24.46 second in less than a year is something which motivates me to achieve more. My body was a little exhausted as it was my sixth race of the championship. I was almost crying in the morning as I could not even bend my back. My guide Umar Saifi too was telling me that I should give my best so that I don’t have any regrets,” said Simran.
While Sharma would talk about competing in long jump as well as also planning to run the 4X200 relay next year, coach and husband Gajendra knows it will be a tough task.
“Simran knows her basics very well, running with the guide and winning every medal increases her confidence.
At the medal ceremony, Rishipal was waiting along with other family members to click his grand-daughter’s pictures with the medal.
“When Preethi was born and doctors told us about her cerebral palsy resulting in weak legs, we were very worried. But as we see her winning medals, it makes us realise she has charted her own destiny,” the proud grandparent said.
