Kiran Pahal Ready to Shine: India’s 400m Hopeful Sets Sights on Paris Olympics

Indian athlete Kiran Pahal is gearing up for a thrilling debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics, expressing her excitement and gratitude as she prepares for the women’s 400m event. Scheduled to compete in her first race on August 5, Pahal is filled with anticipation and optimism as she sets her sights on making a significant impact in this prestigious global competition.

Pahal’s journey at the Olympics will commence with the 400m race, where she will strive to showcase her best performance. If she successfully advances from the initial round, she will then compete in the semi-finals on August 7. A strong performance in the semi-finals could propel her to the final race on August 9. Reflecting on her preparation and aspirations, Pahal shared her excitement with ANI, stating, “I am feeling very happy because it is my first Olympics. My match is on the 5th, and I will be participating in the 400m. If I qualify for the first round, I will run in the semi-final on the 7th; if I make it through that, I’ll reach the finals on the 9th. I am hopeful and aiming to repeat my qualifying time of 50.92s. I want to give my best.”

In addition to her personal preparation, Pahal acknowledged the improvements in the facilities provided to athletes. Notably, the Indian government has enhanced the living conditions for athletes by supplying 40 air conditioners to the Olympic Village. Previously, only fans were available, which posed challenges for some athletes accustomed to air-conditioned environments. Pahal expressed her gratitude, saying, “Earlier, we were only provided fans, but now the Government has provided us with air conditioners. I never had problems, but some athletes are used to AC. I want to thank the Government for this support.”

As Kiran Pahal prepares for this milestone in her athletic career, her focus remains on delivering her best performance and seizing the opportunity to make a mark at the Olympics.

In other news from the Paris 2024 Olympics, India’s athletics campaign faced some setbacks. On Friday, the women’s 5000m competition saw Parul Chaudhary and Ankita Dhyani fall short of advancing to the final round. In the first heat, Ankita finished in the 20th position with a time of 16:19.38. Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon led the heat with a winning time of 14:57.56, surpassing her previous personal best of 15:28.08. Only the top eight runners from each heat advanced to the medal race.

Meanwhile, Parul Chaudhary, India’s Asian Games gold medalist, put forth a commendable effort in heat two, clocking a time of 15:10.68. Despite approaching her national record of 15:10.35, she finished in the 14th position. Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet emerged as the top performer in heat two with a time of 15:00.73.