Parul starts season with strong run in 3000m steeplechase at Shanghai Diamond League

Indian athlete Parul Chaudhary narrowly missed breaking her own national record in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the Shanghai Diamond League 2026, clocking 9:12.84 in her season opener on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Indian finished seventh in a world-class field in Shaoxing, People’s Republic of China – just 0.38 seconds outside the national record she set while winning gold at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi last year.

Parul’s performance also comfortably bettered the Athletics Federation of India’s (AFI) Asian Games 2026 qualifying standard of 9:47.00 in the women’s 3000m steeplechase. However, meeting the mark does not automatically guarantee selection, with the final decision resting with the AFI.

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Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai, the Tokyo 2020 champion, won the race in a meeting record of 8:51.47. Kenya’s Faith Cherotich, the Paris 2024 bronze medallist, was a close second in 8:51.48, while Tunisia’s Marwa Bouzayani finished third in 8:58.09.

Saturday’s race was Parul’s first competition since she placed ninth in her heat at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo last year with a time of 9:22.24. This was also Parul’s third appearance in a Diamond League meet. She had finished sixth in Doha last year with a then personal best of 9:13.39 before placing 16th in Eugene in 9:46.74.

The Shanghai meet marked the opening leg of the 2026 Diamond League season. The circuit moves to Xiamen next weekend. Javelin throw athlete Sachin Yadav is set to make his Diamond League debut at the Rome leg on June 4.