A year ago, Neeru Pathak was struggling with injuries, juggling board exams, and training without a proper track.
This week, the 18-year-old from Uttar Pradesh stood atop the podium at the 64th National Open Athletics Championships, capping a remarkable comeback with two gold medals and one of the fastest 400m times of the Indian season. Running her first race of 2025, the reigning U-18 national record holder (52.78s, set in June 2024) signaled her intent from the heats. After topping the opening round in 54.77s and winning her semifinal in 53.62s, Neeru saved her best for the final. With a controlled first 200m and a fierce finish, she stopped the clock at 52.85s, the second-fastest time of her career and the fourth-best by an Indian woman in 2025.
The performance was all the more impressive given the field. Railways’ Olimba Steffi produced a personal best 53.75s for silver, while former national champion Priya Mohan claimed bronze with a season-best 54.04s. Despite the absence of several big names Aishwarya Mishra, Rupal Chaudhary, and Vithya Ramaraj were among the top-ranked athletes missing through injury or other issues Neeru’s time underlined her ability to compete at the highest domestic level.
If the individual title confirmed her speed, the 4x400m mixed relay showcased her fighting spirit. Running the anchor leg for Uttar Pradesh, Neeru received the baton in fifth place, nearly 20 metres adrift of the leaders. Undeterred, she methodically reeled in the competition with a surge down the back straight, set up her kick off the final bend, and produced a breathtaking final 50 metres to catch Railways’ Soniya in the last 20m. Uttar Pradesh took gold in dramatic fashion, with Neeru crossing the line to thunderous applause.
A Journey of Resilience
Neeru’s return is remarkable given the obstacles she faced over the past year. After winning the 400m gold at the U20 South Asian Games in 2024, she was sidelined by a nagging hamstring injury that required months of rehabilitation. At the same time, she was preparing for her 12th board examinations, often balancing study sessions with improvised training on local grounds because of the lack of a proper synthetic track in her hometown.
Her perseverance paid off. Working with a carefully structured rehab plan, Neeru rebuilt her strength and technique. This year’s National Open became both her competitive return and a statement that she remains one of India’s most promising 400m runners.
Neeru’s 52.85s places her fourth on the 2025 national list, behind seasoned names like Aishwarya Mishra and emerging stars such as Rupal Chaudhary. It also cements her status as one of the few Indian women consistently capable of breaking the 53-second barrier a key benchmark for continental competitiveness. Her consistency as a teenager is striking. Since breaking the U-18 national record last year, Neeru has recorded four sub-53 times, demonstrating not just raw talent but the ability to reproduce elite performances. Athletics Federation of India officials have already earmarked her for future relay squads, including the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m teams, both of which are vital medal prospects at the Asian level.
Neeru wasn’t the only athlete making headlines in Ranchi. In the men’s 400m, Tamil Nadu’s Rajesh Ramesh clocked a season-best 45.75s, his third sub-46 performance of the year, while veteran Santhosh Kumar (46.05s) and youngster Rashid (personal best 46.23s) added to the depth of the quarter-mile events. Priya Mohan, who returned from a career-threatening collapsed lung, earned bronze in the women’s 400m and declared herself fit for the upcoming national camp.
For Neeru Pathak, the road ahead now includes national camps, possible Asian relay selections, and an eventual push for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle. With India’s women’s 4x400m relay still searching for consistent sub-3:30 combinations, her ability to deliver sub-53 splits is invaluable.
Her gold in Ranchi and dominating the individual 400m was more than a medal haul. It was a testament to perseverance, a celebration of youthful talent, and a reminder that Indian athletics continues to discover stars capable of shining on the Asian and world stage.
As the crowd left the Birsa Munda Stadium, the image of Neeru Pathak driving past her rivals in the final metres lingered. After a year of setbacks, she is once again the athlete everyone is chasing.
