In a sensational display on Wednesday, August 23, 28-year-old Parul Chaudhary achieved a significant feat in the women's 3000m steeplechase at Budapest. Registering a new personal best time of 9:24.29s during Heat 2, she secured a fifth-place finish and thus, a coveted spot in the grand final.
On a global stage such as the World Championships, while Commonwealth Games standout Avinash Sable couldn't mark his presence in the men's 5000m steeplechase, it was Chaudhary's commendable performance in the evening that uplifted the spirits of the nation. The jubilation was twofold, as the country was simultaneously celebrating the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the Moon's surface.
Surpassing her previous best of 9:29.51s, achieved during her podium triumph at the Los Angeles Grand Prix in May, Chaudhary has set new benchmarks for herself. The climactic event for the women's 3000m steeplechase is slated to occur on August 27, marking the culmination of the world meet in the Hungarian capital.
The Athletics Federation of India celebrated this achievement with a tweet: "Parul Chaudhary clocks 9:24.29 seconds to finish 5th in heats to advance to women's 3000m steeplechase final. #WorldAthleticsChampionships."
Interestingly, during the previous year's World Athletics Championships, Chaudhary had managed a then personal best of 9:38.90s, finishing 31st in the 3000m steeplechase. Her build-up to the current Championships was laudable, with her clinching a Gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok this July, clocking a time of 9:38.76.
Facing the challenges of a humid evening in Budapest, Chaudhary demonstrated resilience, running shoulder to shoulder with the leaders in Heat 2 of the Women's Steeplechase final. Her achievement mirrored the feats of Lalita Babar, the last Indian to qualify for a World Championships final, who secured an 8th place finish in the 2015 event.
Furthermore, in the current edition of the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Chaudhary stands as only the second Indian, after Jeswin Aldrin's entrance into the men's long jump final with an impressive 8m jump, to qualify for a final round.
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