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On Thursday, June 27, 23-year-old quarter-miler Kiran Pahal surpassed the Olympic qualification mark during the semifinals of the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Panchkula, running the 400m in 50.92 seconds. The qualifying standard for the women's 400m was 50.95 seconds.
This time not only marks a personal best for Kiran Pahal but also stands as the second fastest by an Indian woman in the 400m, following Hima Das who holds the national record with a time of 50.79 seconds. Kiran and Hima are the only Indian women to complete the 400m in under 51 seconds.
In the semifinal race, Kiran took the lead early and maintained her dominance throughout, especially in the final stretch, finishing well ahead of Gujarat's Devy Aniba Zala, who placed second with a time of 53.44 seconds, and Sneha K of Kerala, who came in third at 53.51 seconds.
Kiran Pahal's impressive trajectory in the women's 400m began at the 2019 Ranchi National Open, where she recorded a time of 52.73 seconds, significantly bettering her previous record of 55.18 seconds from 2018. This performance secured her a spot on the national relay team.
Her progress continued into 2022 when she clinched the women's 400m gold at the National Championships, a race she dedicated to her late father. Her competitive spirit was evident as she had run under 52 seconds just a month before the championships, affirming her status as a top competitor.
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