How did Kiran Pahal qualify for Paris Olympics 2024?
During the recent National Inter-State Athletics Meet in Panchkula, Haryana, Indian quarter-miler Kiran Pahal secured the Paris Olympics 2024 quota after scripting history by finishing the 400m race in only 50.92 seconds. The Paris 2024 entry standard is set at 50.95 seconds.
With this timing, Kiran emerged as the second-fastest Indian woman runner in the women’s 400m event behind Hima Das, who secured the national record of 50.79 seconds at the Asian Games in 2018 in Jakarta.
Kiran Pahal achieved this feat in the semi-finals to top her heat at the Panchkula meet in June 2024. Devy Aniba Zala from Gujarat clocked 53.44 seconds while Kerala's Sneha was at the third spot with 53.51 seconds.
It’s worth noting that Kiran is the first Indian female quarter-miler to make the cut for the Olympic Games after a gap of eight years since Nirmala Sheoran from Haryana qualified for the Summer Games in Rio in 2016.
Additionally, Kiran Pahal also went past Hima Das’ previous Inter-State Athletics Athletics Meet timing of 51.13 seconds, created in June 2021.
In the qualification rounds, Kiran clocked 52.33 seconds to storm into the semi-finals. Her previous personal best was 51.84 seconds, created during the Haryana State Championships in 2022.
Kiran Pahal was not included in the relay team for Paris Olympics 2024
However, Kiran couldn’t find a place in the Indian women’s 4x400m relay team as the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has decided to stick to its policy of selecting national campers for the relay team.
Though Kiran was initially part of the national camp, later she was in and out of the camp due to her hamstring injury and inconsistent performances.
Kiran won gold medals with the 4x400m relay teams in October 2019 at Ranchi and June 2021 at Patiala. In June 2022, she bagged the gold medal in the 400m event at the inter-state championships in Chennai, clocking 52.57 seconds.