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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cLike I won gold and silver last time, this time I am thinking of bringing back the same medals for my country again,\u201d Parul told Olympics.com at the Sports Authority of India\u2019s regional centre in Bengaluru.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rather than viewing the third event as an additional source of pressure, Parul is relishing the chance to test herself over a new distance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really take pressure,\u201d she said. \u201cIn fact, I am excited that I get to compete in a new event as well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBack then, I hadn\u2019t trained specifically for rainy and cold weather conditions,\u201d she explained. \u201cRealising that Japan also experiences heat and rain, we are now actively training in rainy conditions here (in Bengaluru) to adapt better.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
That willingness to identify shortcomings and work on them has been central to Parul\u2019s development. She recalled a period when her steeplechase progress had stalled before a major improvement in 2022.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI was training continuously, but for a long time, the results weren\u2019t coming,\u201d Parul said. \u201cAround 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\u2019s when I felt that I could really perform well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The breakthrough helped propel her towards the international stage, while increased exposure and training support further accelerated her progress.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d Parul said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt will feel amazing because representing the country twice in the Asian Games and bringing back medals both times makes any athlete feel extremely proud.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n