New Delhi, March 12: Preeti Pal, who secured a gold medal in the women’s 100 meters T35 event, expressed disappointment despite her achievement. The athlete, who previously won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paralympics, felt she did not perform to her best at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix. She mentioned that despite a month of rigorous training, she made mistakes that she typically avoids during practice. Preeti is determined to improve in her next race.
On Wednesday, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, the Indian para-athlete clocked a time of 14.46 seconds to claim the top spot. However, she noted that fatigue impacted her performance towards the end of the race. “This was my 100-meter race. I was exhausted at the finish and didn’t realize it at that moment. After reviewing the race, I understood,” she stated.
Despite winning the gold medal, Preeti emphasized the importance of timing, especially with major tournaments approaching. “Winning a gold medal at the Grand Prix is not the most crucial thing—timing matters more as my real goal is to win gold at the Asian Games and Paralympics,” she explained. After reviewing her race, Preeti acknowledged some technical errors that she rarely makes during training.
“When I reviewed my race and received feedback, I realized that mistakes occurred. These issues usually don’t happen during practice on the track, but they did here. I had been consistently achieving personal bests for the past month, but that didn’t happen today,” she added.
Despite her disappointment, Preeti is committed to learning from her mistakes to enhance her performance in future events. “I have understood my errors and lessons, and I will apply them in tomorrow’s 200-meter race. I will strive to give my best. In the last race, I noticed my drive phase was poor, so I will work on improving that,” she said.
Preeti also mentioned that she did not face tough competition at this event. “I really did not encounter competition at a level where someone could defeat me. Others performed well, but if I had another athlete pushing me from the side, I might have pushed myself harder. I feel I couldn’t give my all because of this,” she remarked.
She believes that participating in various international meets will help her identify areas for improvement in preparation for significant events like the Asian Games and Paralympics. “These experiences help us learn and overcome fears. By the time the Asian Games arrive, we will be more accustomed to handling pressure,” she concluded.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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