“All my plans have been shattered due to a knee injury" - World U20 400m bronze medalist Rupal Chaudhary faces massive setback due to injury

Nearly a year ago, a promising teenage sprinter from Meerut. Rupal Chaudhary, received a rousing welcome as she returned with two medals. Rupal clinched a bronze in individual 400m and silver in women’s 4x400m relay at the 2022 World U20 Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia.

Her impressive bronze-winning efforts of 51.85 seconds in 400m potentially raised hopes for an equally good 2023 season.

A year later, while other elite Indian runners are gearing up for Budapest World Athletics Championship, Rupal is staring at the four walls of the rehabilitation center in Navi Mumbai.

“I had big goals for 2023, but all are out of reach as I’ve been on the injured list since November last year,” she told Sportskeeda over the phone. “All my plans have been shattered due to a knee injury.”

Rupal said she would have certainly cracked the Asian Games qualification mark of 52.96 seconds and made efforts to come close to the World Championships qualification time of 51.00 seconds.

“I could have been a member of the Indian University team for the ongoing World University Games in China,” she added.

If Rupal is to be believed, it will take another three-four months before she would be able to do her normal routine practice.

“I came to Navi Mumbai last month and will be undergoing rehab until I fully recover,” the second-year undergraduate student added.

The overuse of a minor left knee pain was supposed to be the main cause of Rupal being sidelined for long. According to the international sprinter, she had a niggle in left knee, but the pain aggravated as she continued to practice.

Rupal said, medical experts and those associated with sports injuries in Meerut weren’t able to diagnose the injury, which further prolonged her comeback to track.

A visit to a government-run sports medicine center in New Delhi gave no assurance that she would return to practice soon. Ultimately, she went to Mumbai for treatment.

The two medals earned in Colombia in 2022, helped Rupal get support from private sponsors.

“The Athletics Federation of India has been helpful,” Rupal added. “Hopefully I will be back in 2024."