Punjab athlete Rashdeep Kaur has strengthened her credentials for international competition after achieving the Asian Games qualifying standard in the women’s 400m at the 65th National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The 23-year-old clocked 53.61 seconds in the event, comfortably bettering the Asian Games qualifying mark of 53.72 seconds. Having already secured a place in India’s Commonwealth Games squad, Rashdeep’s latest performance has further enhanced her prospects of representing the country at the Asian Games.
While she has met the qualifying standard, the Athletics Federation of India is expected to announce soon whether she will compete in the individual 400m event or as part of the women’s relay team.
Rashdeep’s rise has been marked by determination and strong family support. As previously reported by The Tribune, her father, Gurlal Singh, a marginal farmer with just two acres of land in Gandhuan village of Sangrur district, recognised her talent after a school athletics meet when she was only eight years old and began taking her for professional training.
Despite facing criticism and scepticism from villagers, Gurlal remained steadfast in supporting his daughter’s ambitions. He also encouraged his younger daughters, Sukhveer and Ranjeet Kaur, to pursue athletics.
Rashdeep has already earned selection in India’s Commonwealth Games squad for the women’s 400m and relay events. Her latest performance at the National Inter-State Championships has significantly strengthened her chances of securing a place in the Indian contingent for the Asian Games.
