In a remarkable display of athleticism, Indian athletes achieved a double podium finish in the women's 3000m steeplechase at the Asian Games 2023.

Parul Chaudhary secured the silver medal with a time of 9:27.63, marking her first Asian Games medal and India's 13th athletics medal at the event. Priti Lamba claimed the bronze with a personal best time of 9:43.32.

The reigning World Champion, Winfred Yavi Mutile of Bahrain, claimed the gold with an Asian Games record time of 9:18.28. Parul Chaudhary, who holds the national record with a remarkable 8:57.19 timing achieved it in a Los Angeles athletics meet in 2022. She is set to compete in the women's 5000m race tomorrow at 5:20 PM IST.

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It is important to mention Parul's impressive journey in long-distance running. She made a mark at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, where she not only qualified for the steeplechase final but also achieved a commendable 11th position overall with a remarkable timing of 9 minutes and 15.51 seconds. Her performance earned her a spot in the Paris Olympics in 2024 and saw her surpassing the national record of 9:19.76 held by Maharashtra's Lalita Babar, set during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Regarding her aspirations, Parul had expressed earlier that her goal is to win the gold in the Asian Games.

"The aim is to win the gold at the Asian Games. I have worked hard on my fitness and technique, and it's paying dividends now. My performance at the Worlds has given me confidence that I can clock better timings. I can beat the best in the world if I follow the same training methods. The three-month long training stint at Colorado Springs in the USA earlier this year also helped a lot," said Parul after her World Championship race.

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Additionally, Parul had previously secured a sensational gold at the Asian Championships in Bangkok in the women's 3000m steeplechase by clocking an impressive 9:38.76s.

Updated Medal Tally-