Lucknow: A month after the disappointment at the Commonwealth Games, Uttar Pradesh Police DSP Parul Chaudhary has scripted a powerful comeback on the Asian stage, proving that one poor outing could not define her hard work.Parul, one of India’s most consistent distance runners, clinched two medals at the ongoing Asian Games, including a bronze in the women’s 5000m final. She clocked 15:14.61 to finish behind Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi, who took gold in 15:10.18, and Japan’s Nozomi Tanaka, who claimed silver in 15:11.65.The medal added to Parul’s earlier bronze in the women’s 3000m steeplechase, making it a memorable campaign for the Meerut-born athlete, who has balanced her sporting career with her responsibilities as a DSP in Uttar Pradesh Police.Speaking to TOI from Nagoya, Parul said the Commonwealth Games setback forced her to reassess her preparation and return stronger.“The Commonwealth Games were a major setback for me. Between the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, I worked on correcting my mistakes, focused on improving my jumps and speed, and prepared myself for strong competition within a month,” Parul said.Her turnaround was built on intense technical work, sharper race planning and mental recovery. In the 3000m steeplechase, Parul had to deal with world-class athletes from Bahrain and Kazakhstan. In the 5000m, she faced a field packed with strong runners from Japan, Bahrain and Kazakhstan.“I knew I would face tough rivals in both the 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m. In the 5000m, my main competitors were from Japan, Bahrain and Kazakhstan, while in the 3000m steeplechase, the strongest athletes were from Bahrain and Kazakhstan, including world and Olympic-level champions,” she said.“I am very happy that I won these medals for the country. I feel proud to have won medals for India at such a big stage. I am grateful to the country and my state for supporting athletes like us. Now, it is our duty to continue winning medals for the nation,” she said.Her focus now shifts to bigger global targets — the World Athletics Championships and the Los Angeles Olympics — as she looks to build on a comeback that took shape in just one month.Debutant Jay makes mark with twin medalsAsian Games debutant Jay Kumar enjoyed a memorable outing in Nagoya, winning two medals for India in the 4x400m relay events.The 21-year-old athlete from Gautam Budh Nagar clinched a bronze medal in the men’s 4x400m relay and a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Asian Games.India’s men’s 4x400m relay team, comprising Dharmveer Choudhary, Manu Thekkinalil, Jay Kumar and Vishal Thennarasu, produced a strong performance in the final on Tuesday to finish third. The quartet clocked 3:01.61 in a closely contested race, with less than a second separating the top three teams.Speaking to TOI from Nagoya, Jay Kumar said he was delighted to win two medals in his first Asian Games appearance.“I am extremely happy that in my very first event at the Asian Games, I won two medals. Competing alongside such experienced athletes was a completely different experience for me,” he said.
