Manisha Kumari: Sprinting to Glory at South Asian Athletics

In a landmark achievement, 24-year-old athlete Manisha Kumari from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, emerged victorious by clinching a gold medal in the 4x400 metres relay at the recently concluded South Asian Athletics Championship in Jharkhand. Her victory marks the first such international gold for an athlete from Hamirpur.

The championship took place at the Birsa Munda Stadium in Ranchi, with Manisha leading the charge for India. Hailing from the village of Utpur, she is the daughter of Ramesh Chand, a truck driver, and Sheela Devi, a homemaker. The local community is celebrating her extraordinary success.

District Athletics Association President Pankaj Bhartiya stated that Manisha has brought immense honor to the state. Her consistent national level performances, including gold at the Open Athletics Competition in Sangrur, Punjab, and a bronze at the 64th National Inter-State Championship, paved the way for her selection in the national team.