At the renowned Asian Games in Hangzhou, Indian athlete Harmilan Bains added another feather to her cap by grabbing the silver medal in the women’s 800m category. Delivering a stunning performance, she completed the run with a timing of 2:03.75, even after being behind during the 400m phase of the race.
Demonstrating resilience and tenacity in the final moments of the race, Bains overtook China's Wang Chunyu to secure her second position. Meanwhile, the gold medal was clinched by Sri Lanka's Tharushi, who narrowly edged out with a timing of 2:03.20.
Harmilan Bains' exceptional performance didn't stop there. She further displayed her mettle by also clinching silver in the 1500m event, completing the race in 4:12.74s.
It's evident that athletics is in Bains’ blood. Drawing inspiration from her lineage, she mirrors the achievements of her accomplished parents. Her father, Amandeep Bains, has previously been honored as a South Asian Games medalist in the 1500m event. Similarly, her mother, Madhuri Saxena, has been a shining star on the track, earning the silver medal in the 800m category at the 2002 Asian Games.
With such a strong athletic background, Harmilan Bains' achievements resonate with the legacy set by her family, ensuring the continuation of their rich history in the world of athletics.
Harmilan kickstarted her international journey in 2016, clinching a bronze in the 1500m event at the Asian Junior Championships in Vietnam. Yet, 2017 saw a pause in her rising trajectory due to a knee ailment, demanding over a year for rehabilitation.
Undeterred by this challenge, Harmilan made a remarkable comeback in 2019, securing a bronze in the 1500m at the Federation Cup in Patiala. Fast forward to 2021, she rewrote history by establishing a new national record for the 1500m at the National Open Championship with a time of 4:05.39, breaking Sunita Rani's earlier benchmark of 4:06.03. Regrettably, a subsequent knee operation forced her to sideline herself from the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Meanwhile, in the 800m race, another Indian Chanda, ranked seventh, clocking in at 2:05.69.
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