The 22-year-old middle-distance runner finished third in the women’s 800m at the Asian U23 Athletics Championships in China, edging China’s Gejing Zhu by just 0.03 seconds
Imphal: Manipuri athlete Bhumeshwory Devi Huidrom created history by winning the bronze medal in the women’s 800m event at the Asian U23 Athletics Championships in Ordos, China, becoming one of the few athletes from Northeast India to secure an international track medal.
The 22-year-old clocked 2:10.20 to finish third, edging China’s Gejing Zhu by a narrow margin of 0.03 seconds in a thrilling finish on July 12. Uzbekistan’s Jonbibi Hukmova claimed the gold medal with a time of 2:08.41, while Japan’s Kurumi Sugure secured silver in 2:09.42.
Hailing from Huidrom Awang Leikai in Manipur, Bhumeshwory began her athletics journey in 2017 at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Takyel, Imphal. After the programme was discontinued, she continued her training in Bhopal before joining the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where she currently trains under Italian coach Claudio Pannozzo.
A consistent performer on the domestic circuit, Bhumeshwory has won gold medals at the Indian Grand Prix and the Open Athletics Meet, besides claiming silver at the 64th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships. She is also part of the IOCL Project Shakti initiative, which prepares promising Indian athletes for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh congratulated the young athlete, praising her “exceptional talent, dedication, and hard work.” He described the bronze medal as a proud achievement for both Manipur and India.
