Preeti Pal added another gold to her collection at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix in New Delhi, topping the women’s 100m T35 in 14.46 seconds. But the 2024 Paralympic double medalist remains far from content, haunted by rare mistakes that echoed her training woes.
At Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on the event’s opening day, Preeti surged ahead but faltered late due to exhaustion. ‘I didn’t realize in the moment, but the replay showed it all,’ she recounted. A month of consistent personal bests made the lapse sting deeper.
‘Timing is king, especially for upcoming Asian Games and Paralympics,’ Preeti stressed, downplaying the medal’s shine. Technical glitches, pointed out by coaches and self-review, were the culprits—flaws she avoids in drills.
Competition felt tame, lacking the cutthroat edge to force her peak. ‘No one pushed me enough; I held back,’ she admitted. This insight fuels her prep for the 200m tomorrow, targeting a sharper drive phase.
Preeti views these Grands Prix as pressure cookers, perfect for spotting fixes and building mental toughness. Her journey—from Paralympic bronzes to gold pursuits—exemplifies resilience. As she learns from this, expect fireworks in her next outings.