New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS): Defending 5000m champion Parul Chaudhary will take on an expanded programme at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, adding the 1500m event to the 5000m and 3000m steeplechase, with the Indian distance runner viewing the increased workload as an opportunity rather than an added burden.
Parul, who won 5000m gold and 3000m steeplechase silver at the Hangzhou Asian Games, is preparing for her second continental Games at the Sports Authority of India’s regional centre in Bengaluru. The three-event schedule will mark a new challenge for the 30-year-old, but she is confident about her readiness.
“Like I won gold and silver last time, this time I am thinking of bringing back the same medals for my country again,” Parul told Olympics.com at the Sports Authority of India’s regional centre in Bengaluru.
“It’s great for me that while I competed in two events last time, I am participating in three events this time. My preparations are going very well.”
Rather than viewing the third event as an additional source of pressure, Parul is relishing the chance to test herself over a new distance.
“I don’t really take pressure,” she said. “In fact, I am excited that I get to compete in a new event as well.”
Her preparations have also been shaped by an experience that exposed a potential vulnerability. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, adverse weather conditions affected her steeplechase performance before she returned to compete in the 5000m the following day.
The episode prompted Parul and her team to modify their training approach ahead of the Asian Games, where conditions in Japan could also present heat and rain.
“Back then, I hadn’t trained specifically for rainy and cold weather conditions,” she explained. “Realising that Japan also experiences heat and rain, we are now actively training in rainy conditions here (in Bengaluru) to adapt better.”
That willingness to identify shortcomings and work on them has been central to Parul’s development. She recalled a period when her steeplechase progress had stalled before a major improvement in 2022.
“I was training continuously, but for a long time, the results weren’t coming,” Parul said. “Around 2021, my timing in the 3000m steeplechase had plateaued. I was stuck around the 10-minute mark. But in 2022, I clocked 9:38 (at the Indian Grand Prix in Thiruvananthapuram). That’s when I felt that I could really perform well.”
The breakthrough helped propel her towards the international stage, while increased exposure and training support further accelerated her progress.
With the Asian Games now the immediate target and the Los Angeles Olympics also part of her longer-term planning, Parul said the sacrifices made during the training cycle are substantial.
“We stay and train continuously at SAI Bangalore without even going home or celebrating festivals, all to prepare for the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics,” Parul said.
For now, the focus is firmly on Aichi-Nagoya, where three events will give her three chances to contribute to India’s medal tally.
“It will feel amazing because representing the country twice in the Asian Games and bringing back medals both times makes any athlete feel extremely proud.”
