Optimism over Outcome: Preethi Pal aims higher on home turf at Para World Championships

Preethi Pal has previously won two bronze medals at the world stage.

Preethi Pal is gunning for glory at the upcoming World Para Athletics Championships 2025, taking place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

Chosen as the flag-bearer for India at the home World Championships, she will lead India’s campaign as one of its prominent athletes, competing in two events—women’s 100m T35 and 200m T35 disciplines.

Pal will enter the event as one of India’s strongest medal contenders, having previously won bronze in both events at the Tokyo World Para Championships.

At the World Para Athletics Championships 2025, India will be represented by a strong 73-member squad. It is worth noting that this is the most prestigious para-sport event ever held in the country.

Hosts India march in the opening ceremony of the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi! 🇮🇳✨The showpiece event will get underway on September 27. 🎆🎥 PCI#ParaAthletics pic.twitter.com/JdhUSTBGCm

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) September 25, 2025

The team will aim to better its tally from the Tokyo edition, where they finished sixth with 17 medals, including 6 gold, 5 silver and 6 bronze.

Ahead of the event, which will take place from September 27 to October 5, Khel Now had an opportunity to interview the Indian para-track star.

She discussed her goals for the upcoming championships in New Delhi, her views on the new Mondotrack in JLN among other topics.

Here are some excerpts from the interaction.

Thoughts on the new Mondotrack in India

The World Para Athletics Championships will be held on the country’s first-ever Mondotrack at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which was inaugurated by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in August 2025.

This surface has been used at every Olympic Games since 1976 and is known to enhance athletes’ performance and reduce the risk of injury.

On being asked about her views and how the establishment of the Mondotrack will benefit her and other athletes, Preethi Pal noted:

“We had already been hoping for a Mondotrack. We were even considering going abroad. Our coach, Gajendra Singh, had mentioned that we might travel internationally for the Asian Para Games to get better practice.”

“But when we learned that a Mondotrack was being built here, on our home turf, we were overjoyed. The local diet suits us better than it does abroad, which gives us an extra advantage, more than we had anticipated,” she added.

History begins in India! For the first time, the IndianOil #WPAC2025 unites 100+ nations on India’s first Mondo track at JLN Stadium. Not just a championship a moment the world will never forget. @ParaAthletics @DelhiGovDigital @LA28 pic.twitter.com/OplnZXeDPR

— Paralympic Committee of India (@PCI_IN_Official) September 23, 2025

How she reached the Paralympics stage overcoming odds

Preethi Pal, who was born with cerebral palsy that affects her coordination, stated that she first learned about the Paralympics through Instagram and then committed herself to representing India in international competitions.

“I actually learned about the Paralympics through social media [Instagram]. Until then, I only knew about the Olympics. When I discovered the Paralympics, I realized I could compete there, so I began preparing. At first, I was only focused on the Asian Games.”

Despite narrowly missing out on a medal at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, she didn’t give up and bounced back strongly to succeed on even bigger stages.

Also Read: Gold in mind: Sheetal Devi heads into World Archery Para Championships determined to upgrade medal colour

“Although I didn’t win a medal at the Asian [Para] Games, I didn’t give up. I prepared for the World Championships in Japan the following year.

“It was a tougher stage and winning a medal wasn’t guaranteed, I trained harder under my coach’s guidance and won bronze medals. That success helped me qualify for the Paris Paralympics, where I went on to win two medals,” the 25-year-old added.

Goals for upcoming World Para Athletics Championships

While speaking about her past achievements, Preethi reflected on winning the bronze medals at Paris Paralympics 2024. She shared that winning a Paralympic medal was one of the happiest moments of her life.

“When I won a medal at the Paris Paralympics, I found all the joy in my life. I often think about striving for an even better outcome, improving my medal colour and achieving a personal best.

“Everyone aims to give their best and go the extra mile and the results on the day will speak for themselves. My hope is to improve on past performances and achieve my personal best.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Khelo India (@officialkheloindia)

With bronze medals already to her name from the Paralympics and past World Para Athletics Championships, Preethi was asked about her ambitions for this year. She made it clear she’s aiming even higher.

“My goal this time is to win a silver medal [at World Championships 2025], but achieving it isn’t just about saying it, it requires action. I don’t know if the day will go exactly as I hope, but I remain fully optimistic. Regardless of the outcome, I am determined to achieve a personal best.”

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram