Quarter-miler Rupal Chaudhary, daughter of a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, scripted history by winning twin medals and became the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the World U20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia on Thursday.
After securing a silver medal in 4x400 mixed relay on Tuesday with teammates Priya Mohan, Bharath Sridhar and Kapil, the 17-year-old won the bronze medal in the women's 400m with 51.85s, a personal best which she improved twice over two days. In the mixed relay race Rupal ran the final leg and finished just 0.07 seconds behind the winner.
According to information received here, Yemi Mary John of Great Britain won the gold medal with a personal best of 51.50s, while Damaris Mutunga of Kenya clinched the silver in 51.71s in the 400m race. The 17-year-old Rupal Chaudhary entered the World Athletics U20 Championships 2022 with a personal best of 52.48s, set in June.
Rupal Chaudhary is the second Indian to have won a medal in the women's 400m after Hima Das' gold in the 2018 edition in Finland. Javelin throw ace Neeraj Chopra was the first Indian to win a world athletics U20 title at Bydgoszcz 2016 in Poland.