Emerging track star Rupal Chaudhary from Meerut hopes for a change in the ecosystem at grassroots level

Emerging track star Rupal Chaudhary from northern India’s sports manufacturing hub of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh is the face of the next generation.

Rupal is an untiring advocate of structural change in the ecosystem of sports at grassroots level, says her personal coach Vishal Saxena.

“Due to lack of good facilities in Meerut, youngsters like Rupal have to make extreme sacrifices to make a mark at the national level,” Saxena told Sportskeeda.

He added:

“Several youngsters from Meerut have to travel long distances by road to New Delhi at least twice a week to practice on synthetic track for speed workouts.”

That extra bit of travel, for an hour and 40 minutes by road, from Meerut to New Delhi early in the morning for practice paid off earlier last week during the 20th National Federation Cup U20 Athletics Championships in Nadiad, Gujarat.

Rupal emerged as the women's 400m champion in a time of 52.48 seconds and qualified for the Colombia’s World U20 Athletics Championships scheduled for August 1 to 6.

The lack of facilities in Meerut for track and field is an exaggeration, says Ashutosh Bhalla, vice-president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI). Bhalla said he has apprised the local administration to improve the facilities for athletics at the main stadium in the city but has yet to receive any response. Bhalla is also the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Athletics Association.

“The ground at the main stadium in Meerut isn’t meant for athletics practice as it is uneven,” Bhalla told Sportskeeda over the phone from Meerut.

For the last two years New Delhi’s iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has been a home away from home for Rupal. According to her personal coach, Rupal, who is the junior national 400m champion, travels twice a week to New Delhi to practice on the synthetic track, a facility where athletes are deprived of in Meerut.

Saxena explained:

“Since Meerut doesn’t have an artificial track, we often travel by road to New Delhi for speed workouts at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The journey from Meerut to New Delhi is a bit taxing but there is no alternative if the goal is to excel at the national level.”

Rupal was spotted during the third edition of the national 400m championships held last year in New Delhi after winning the U18 400m title. The talented athlete was invited by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to join the national camp, but she declined as she preferred to practice with her personal coach in Meerut. Moreover, she wanted to focus on academics too.

“There has to be a fine balance between sports and academies so she couldn’t join the national camp,” Saxena said.

The worn-out Jawaharlal Nehru warmup six-lane track is unsuitable for practice, and several young athletes from the neighbouring region bordering New Delhi are regulars at the stadium. The stadium’s main eight-lane synthetic track has been under construction for the last two years and has been closed for practice.

Rupal's next stop is the National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai

Despite emerging as the fastest 400m runner in the age group competition in Gujarat last week, Rupal’s coach, a former international sprinter who is now into coaching, wasn't satisfied.

“I was expecting Rupal to clock 52.05 seconds in Gujrat as she has been training hard,” Saxena said.

Rupal’s next stop will be next week’s National Inter-State Athletics Championships in Chennai, which will also act as a qualifying competition for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

“Rupal will compete with the cream of India’s 400m runners in Chennai. We hope she will not wilt under pressure,” the athletics expert from Meerut said.

Will Rupal step into 2018 World U20 400m champion Hima Das' shoes? Certainly, Rupal has a bright chance of a podium finish at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Columbia, her coach said.

“All Rupal has to do is sustain her 52 second performance until August first week,” Saxena explained.

Rupal’s good performance at the World U20 Athletics Championships will gather momentum to improve facilities back in Meerut, Saxena believes.

“We hope work at the proposed Meerut Sports University foundation stone that was laid last year will speed. and benefit upcoming track stars like Rupal in the Meerut region,” the coach said.